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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 · ground · bore · lie · firm · wave · band · patient

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. band — a music group
  13. ground — the earth
  14. firm — steady
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ground — a position
  17. firm — a company
  18. lie — to recline
  19. band — a ring
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. firm — decided
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ground — crushed

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