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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: lash · ground · pitcher · lean · wave · track · wound · tube

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. track — a song
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ground — the earth
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. track — a path
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lean — thin
  14. ground — a position
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ground — crushed
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. track — to keep track
  19. tube — the underground
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. tube — a container
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wave — with your hand

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