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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: fan · lash · wave · mark · chip · rest · track · lie

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. track — a song
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rest — a break
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rest — what's left
  14. track — a path
  15. chip — for betting
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lie — an untruth

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