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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: mine · lash · tube · wound · temple · nail · lean · wave

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. tube — the underground
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wound — an injury
  10. tube — a container
  11. lean — thin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mine — for digging
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mine — an explosive

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