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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cold — an illness
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cold — not warm
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pound — a weight
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. suit — to fit
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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