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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: wave · season · kid · squash · bay · lash · pass · arm

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. season — in sport
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. kid — child
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. season — of the year
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. kid — to tease
  24. arm — part of the body

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