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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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. firm — steady
  4. wax — to grow
  5. firm — a company
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lean — thin
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. net — in sport
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. net — for catching
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. craft — boats
  17. firm — decided
  18. net — after costs
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. lean — to bend
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lean — to rest against

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