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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.

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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: rock · lash · ruler · wake · bay · root · chest · lean

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rock — music
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — thin
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. root — the cause
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lean — to bend
  24. root — of a word

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