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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: can · bowl · face · wave · bank · lash · key · arm

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bank — for money
  5. can — a tin
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. face — to point toward
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. can — a tin
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. key — in music
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. face — to confront
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. key — for a lock
  24. face — part of the head

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