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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: lash · can · stand · fan · wave · rest · content · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bore — to drill
  4. can — a tin
  5. content — happy
  6. content — the amount
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. can — a tin
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rest — a break
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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