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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 · track · kid · wave · lean · last · spell

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lean — thin
  12. stand — to bear
  13. kid — to tease
  14. last — final
  15. kid — child
  16. spell — magic
  17. last — finally
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — a path
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lean — to bend
  22. last — to go on
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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