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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. tube — a container
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bank — for money
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer

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