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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · lash · bay · wake · bear · object · suit · prune

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. object — to protest
  3. suit — in cards
  4. object — a thing
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — to fit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. object — an aim
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. prune — to trim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com