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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. track — a path
  4. spell — magic
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. track — a song
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bore — to tire
  9. track — to keep track
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. date — the fruit
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stand — to bear

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