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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: pitcher · lean · wake · mark · tube · lash · season · stand

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. pitcher — a jug
  2. lean — thin
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. tube — a container
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. season — in sport
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stand — to bear
  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