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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: lash · wake · spring · wave · bass · suit · temple · tube

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. tube — the underground
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. suit — to fit
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. tube — a container
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bass — low music
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bass — the fish

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