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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: face · rest · toast · lash · rush · bound · spring · wave

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. face — to point toward
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. face — to confront
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. spring — a coil
  9. face — part of the head
  10. spring — the season
  11. rush — hurry
  12. toast — bread
  13. bound — obliged
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rest — a break
  18. bound — certain
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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