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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: lie · lash · pit · patient · net · pound · wax · fan

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. wax — to grow
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. net — after costs
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pound — a weight
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. net — for catching
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. net — in sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. patient — a sick person

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