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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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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: wave · content · lash · racket · bound · present · hide · toast

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. content — happy
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. present — a gift
  7. content — the amount
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. present — the time now
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. present — there

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