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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
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: lie · bear · lash · mine · wake · can · leaves · board

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. can — a tin
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mine — for digging
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — to get on
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. board — a committee
  24. wake — a trail

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