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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. court — of a king
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wax — to grow
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. court — for sport
  11. pass — a permit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. court — of law
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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