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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: stand · lash · foot · wave · nail · season · bark · rush

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. season — in sport
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. foot — a measure
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bark — to shout
  24. rush — a thrill

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