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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 120 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: lie · wind · nail · wave · lash · suit · can · craft

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. can — a tin
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lie — to recline
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. wind — to turn a key

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