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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: land · tube · firm · pass · net · wave · bay · lash

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. tube — a container
  3. net — for catching
  4. firm — steady
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. land — ground
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. firm — a company
  13. pass — a permit
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. firm — decided
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. land — a country
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pass — to succeed

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