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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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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: lash · spell · content · wake · rule · bay · dip · bear

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. spell — letters
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rule — government
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. content — the amount
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — a law
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

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