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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: wind · can · sharp · lash · suit · fork · land · wave

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. land — ground
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wind — moving air
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. can — to be able to
  15. land — a country
  16. wind — moving air
  17. sharp — clever
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fork — in a road
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — to come down

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