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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 120 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: deal · wave · lie · row · cabinet · can · wake · wound

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — a tin
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lie — to recline
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. row — a line
  13. wound — an injury
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. can — a tin
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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