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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: racket · craft · lash · roll · cap · wave · snap · ball

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ball — a dance
  6. cap — a lid
  7. ball — a great time
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. craft — a skill
  13. roll — a list
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. craft — boats
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. roll — a cake
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lash — an eyelash

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