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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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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: lean · pass · wave · lash · foot · row · fall · charge

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. row — a line
  3. lean — thin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. foot — a measure
  8. charge — electricity
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pass — a permit
  12. charge — in control
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fall — the season
  16. row — to paddle
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. fall — to drop
  23. charge — a price
  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