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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: wake · spring · charge · wave · lash · rash · nail · capital

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. spring — the season
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. spring — of water
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — a price
  9. rash — a series
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wake — a trail
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. capital — a city
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. spring — a coil
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. charge — electricity

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