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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: suit · wave · jam · net · drill · lash · mark · rest

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rest — a break
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. net — for catching
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. net — in sport
  13. suit — clothes
  14. net — after costs
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mark — a trace
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rest — what's left
  20. drill — army training
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mark — a grade
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. suit — to fit

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