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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.

Make a worksheet

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: swing · season · spell · toast · current · patient · wave · lash

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. season — of the year
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. spell — magic
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. swing — in golf
  12. season — in sport
  13. current — of water
  14. toast — bread
  15. current — happening now
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. swing — music
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. current — electric
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. swing — to play on
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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