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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: mark · wave · rash · arm · rest · lie · charge · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mark — a trace
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. charge — in control
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mark — a grade
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. charge — a price

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