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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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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. current — of water
  10. wax — to grow
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mug — to rob
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. current — electric
  22. mug — a face
  23. current — happening now
  24. dip — to sink

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