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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: wave · cabinet · shower · present · straw · lash · toast · season

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. season — in sport
  10. shower — rain
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. present — there
  21. shower — to wash
  22. toast — bread
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. season — of the year

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