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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: lash · ball · wake · rush · cabinet · perch · craft · dip

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. craft — boats
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a great time
  12. dip — to sink
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. craft — a skill
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rush — hurry
  24. cabinet — ministers

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