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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 120 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: ground · stick · last · lash · track · mouse · content · wave

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ground — crushed
  10. last — final
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. content — happy
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. last — finally
  16. ground — a position
  17. track — a song
  18. last — to go on
  19. content — the amount
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. track — to keep track
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. track — a path
  24. content — videos and posts

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