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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: wave · charge · calf · lash · squash · wake · land · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. charge — in control
  7. wake — a trail
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. land — a country
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. charge — a price
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. land — ground
  20. land — to come down
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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