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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
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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: saw · lash · stick · rock · spring · lie · pound · wax

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. spring — the season
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rock — a stone
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rock — music
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. spring — a coil

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