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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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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: wave · lash · hide · safe · key · bay · drill · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. key — in music
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. key — for a lock
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. drill — the tool
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. drill — army training
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. key — the most important part
  22. snap — to click
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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