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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: lash · bowl · field · sharp · board · snap · mouse · wave

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. sharp — clever
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. field — for sport
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. board — a committee
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — a subject
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. board — to get on
  16. snap — to click
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. wave — with your hand

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