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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: lash · lie · lean · mate · temple · mine · wax · spring

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — thin
  3. mine — for digging
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — a friend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. spring — the season
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. spring — of water
  13. mate — to breed
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mate — a partner
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. spring — a coil

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