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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.

Make a worksheet

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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lean — thin
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. net — for catching
  11. wound — an injury
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. sharp — clever
  17. net — after costs
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. net — in sport
  23. lean — to bend
  24. patient — calm and waiting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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