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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 · stand · rest · fine · wake · lie · hand · clip

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. hand — help
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wake — a trail
  14. clip — a video
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rest — a break
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stand — to bear
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. fine — all right

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