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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: foot · pitcher · roll · mug · lash · lean · wave · content

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. roll — a list
  8. lean — thin
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. foot — a measure
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. lean — to bend
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. content — happy
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. content — the amount
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. roll — a cake
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lash — an eyelash

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