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

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. board — a committee
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. board — to get on
  17. prune — to trim
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. foot — a measure
  22. craft — boats
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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