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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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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: firm · wave · fork · present · foot · cap · prune · lash

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. foot — a measure
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. prune — to trim
  5. firm — decided
  6. prune — to trim
  7. firm — steady
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. cap — a hat
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. present — a gift
  14. cap — of ice
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. present — there
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. firm — a company
  19. cap — a lid
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. present — the time now
  24. fork — in a road

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