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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: wave · stand · nail · squash · fork · track · lash · toast

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. toast — bread
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. track — a path
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. track — a song
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. track — to keep track

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