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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: lash · pass · net · wave · mug · kick · bear · race

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. net — for catching
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. race — humankind
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. net — in sport
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — in football
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. net — after costs
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mug — a face
  22. race — a contest
  23. mug — a cup
  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