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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: lean · leaves · lash · root · stock · present · wake · toast

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. root — of a plant
  5. toast — bread
  6. present — a gift
  7. root — the cause
  8. stock — shares
  9. present — there
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wake — a trail
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. present — the time now
  17. root — of a word
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lean — thin
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. stock — goods

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