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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. content — happy
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. content — the amount
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. firm — steady
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. staff — employees
  16. branch — a division
  17. track — a song
  18. firm — a company
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wax — to grow
  22. staff — employees
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. firm — decided

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