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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 116 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.

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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 · kick · rush · lash · season · pound · stand · cabinet

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. season — in sport
  8. kick — in football
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stand — to bear
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. season — of the year
  24. stand — on your feet

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