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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. firm — a company
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. spring — the season
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. spring — a coil
  11. chair — a leader
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. firm — steady
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. firm — decided
  20. bank — of a river
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. suit — to fit
  23. spring — of water
  24. bowl — a football final

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