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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: squash · suit · wind · lash · fine · wave · last · rock

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. last — finally
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rock — music
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. last — final
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. squash — to crush
  16. last — to go on
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wind — to turn a key

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