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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.

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: jam · mine · spell · bank · firm · wave · game · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. firm — decided
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bank — for money
  12. firm — steady
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. game — a match
  15. bank — for money
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. game — wild animals
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. firm — a company
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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