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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: arm · safe · cap · season · press · wave · fork · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cap — of ice
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. press — a publisher
  8. season — in sport
  9. cap — a hat
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. press — to push
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. press — newspapers
  20. season — of the year
  21. cap — a lid
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. fork — in a road

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