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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: land · ball · dip · bay · wave · key · rest · lash

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. key — in music
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rest — what's left
  13. land — ground
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. land — a country
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rest — a break
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. key — the most important part
  22. land — to come down
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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