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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: mouse · capital · lash · lean · court · wave · rush · snap

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. court — of a king
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. capital — a city
  6. court — for sport
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lean — thin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. court — of law
  11. rush — hurry
  12. snap — to click
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. capital — money
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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