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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. spring — the season
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bank — of a river
  12. object — a thing
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. object — an aim
  17. bank — for money
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bank — for money
  21. spring — of water
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. object — to protest
  24. spring — a coil

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