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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kid · lie · lash · track · lean · wake · fan · bass

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. kid — to tease
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. track — a song
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lean — thin
  18. track — a path
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. kid — child
  21. lean — to bend
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lash — to lash out
  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