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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: fine · lean · object · lash · wave · sharp · cap · racket

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. object — to protest
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lean — thin
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. object — an aim
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. sharp — clever
  20. object — a thing
  21. cap — a hat
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. sharp — with an edge

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