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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.

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: mine · mate · mark · season · wax · lean · wave · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mine — for digging
  5. season — in sport
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. season — of the year
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wax — to grow
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mark — a trace

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