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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 · roll · nail · leaves · lash · mouse · pound · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. pound — a weight
  24. leaves — lets stay

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