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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.

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: wave · lash · fan · mate · mine · pop · bore · object

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. object — a thing
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. object — to protest
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pop — soda
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pop — music
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bore — to drill
  18. object — an aim
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mine — for digging

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