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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: lean · tube · ground · wave · nail · wake · temple · spell

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. tube — a container
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ground — the earth
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. ground — a position
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — thin
  11. wake — a trail
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ground — crushed
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spell — magic
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. spell — letters

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