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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · lean · pitcher · jam · mine · pound · lash · wave

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lean — thin
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. scale — in music
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. lean — to bend
  20. scale — size or range
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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