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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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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: wave · wind · kid · lean · bowl · lie · jam · stick

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wind — moving air
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. kid — child
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lean — thin
  24. lie — to recline

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