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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 116 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: can · wave · straw · snap · lash · fine · bay · stand

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. can — a tin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fine — all right
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. snap — to click
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fine — high quality
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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