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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
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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: lean · tube · fine · wound · hide · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. tube — a container
  6. fine — all right
  7. lean — thin
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lean — to bend
  18. hide — to keep secret

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