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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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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 · sharp · lash · deal · rush · prune · firm · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rush — hurry
  7. prune — to trim
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. firm — a company
  16. game — wild animals
  17. prune — to trim
  18. firm — decided
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. firm — steady
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. prune — the fruit

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