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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: scale · lash · arm · land · fall · jam · bore · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. land — ground
  4. fall — the season
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. fall — to drop
  12. scale — in music
  13. land — a country
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fall — to drop
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. land — to come down
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bore — to tire

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