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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: net · lash · rush · toast · ruler · wave · mouse · bat

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. net — for catching
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. net — after costs
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. toast — bread
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bat — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. net — in sport

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