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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: dip · land · lie · lash · fan · mark · file · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. land — to come down
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. land — a country
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. file — a line of people
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. file — a tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. file — a document
  14. land — ground
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mark — a grade
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mark — to pay attention

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