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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: key · field · wave · mug · stock · lash · chip · wake

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mug — to rob
  3. field — for sport
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. field — a subject
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. field — farmland
  10. wake — a trail
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mug — a cup
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stock — shares
  18. mug — a face
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stock — goods
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. wave — of the sea

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