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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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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 · ball · can · lean · fan · wake

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. lean — to bend
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — thin
  18. can — a tin

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