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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
468
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: stand · bore · wave · net · wax · wound · lash · land

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. land — a country
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. net — in sport
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stand — to bear
  7. net — after costs
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. land — to come down
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wax — to grow
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. land — ground
  20. bore — to drill
  21. net — for catching
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wave — of the sea

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