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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.

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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 · hand · can · lash · pass · tube · stock · spell

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spell — letters
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. hand — help
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. spell — a short time
  9. can — to be able to
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stock — goods
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. can — a tin
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. can — a tin
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. stock — shares
  24. spell — magic

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