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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. staff — employees
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. court — for sport
  7. mug — a cup
  8. vault — a safe
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. staff — employees
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wax — to grow
  14. branch — a division
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. court — of a king
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. court — of law
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. staff — a stick

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