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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: saw · wave · suit · bark · scale · lean · sharp · lash

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. lean — thin
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. saw — the tool
  16. scale — in music
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. scale — size or range

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