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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: season · object · court · lash · scale · can · lean · wave

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. object — a thing
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lean — to bend
  7. court — of a king
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. scale — in music
  11. court — for sport
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. object — to protest
  15. season — of the year
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. can — to be able to
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. can — a tin
  22. court — of law
  23. can — a tin
  24. object — an aim

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