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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: rush · last · track · can · roll · lash · wave · dip

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rush — hurry
  6. roll — a list
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. roll — a cake
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. can — to be able to
  12. last — final
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. track — a path
  19. can — a tin
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. can — a tin
  22. track — a song
  23. dip — to sink
  24. roll — on a roll

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