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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: wave · track · cap · board · lash · sharp · arm · stick

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cap — of ice
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. track — a path
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cap — a lid
  9. board — a committee
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — to keep track
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. board — to get on
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. sharp — clever
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. track — a song
  24. cap — a hat

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