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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: lash · fall · mark · key · season · saw · wave · lie

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — to recline
  3. key — in music
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. season — in sport
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mark — a trace
  18. saw — the tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. fall — the season
  21. season — of the year
  22. fall — to drop
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. key — the most important part

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