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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: cap · bound · lash · suit · firm · rest · wave · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — steady
  6. bound — obliged
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bound — tied together
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bound — certain
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rest — a break
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cap — of ice
  21. firm — a company
  22. cap — a lid
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wave — of the sea

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