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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: swing · object · present · mouse · wave · hide · net · lash

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. net — in sport
  3. swing — to play on
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. object — to protest
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. present — the time now
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. swing — music
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. net — for catching
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. object — a thing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. net — after costs
  20. swing — in golf
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. present — there
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. present — a gift

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