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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · lean · hand · fan · wave · rest · rock · rash

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. hand — in cards
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rock — music
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rash — a series
  12. lean — thin
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hand — help
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rock — a stone

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