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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · track · lash · spell · wound · wave · kick · pitch

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. track — a path
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. spring — of water
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. wound — an injury
  9. track — to keep track
  10. spring — the season
  11. track — a song
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. spell — letters
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. spring — a coil
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. spell — magic
  22. kick — in football
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wave — with your hand

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