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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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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: lash · bass · wave · cell · fall · nail · lean · ruler

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fall — the season
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lean — thin
  5. cell — a phone
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cell — in biology
  20. bass — low music
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lean — to bend
  24. nail — on a finger

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