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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: lean · pitcher · bay · temple · lash · present · spring · wave

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. present — there
  8. lean — thin
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. spring — a coil
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. present — a gift
  24. lean — to bend

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