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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: wave · lash · pound · board · chip · snap

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. snap — to click
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. board — a committee
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. snap — to speak sharply

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