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

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. stock — goods
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow

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