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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: mug · row · pound · wave · lash · kick · suit · bound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. suit — clothes
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a face
  8. kick — in football
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bound — certain
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bound — tied together
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pound — a weight
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bound — obliged
  20. row — a line
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lash — to lash out

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