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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. spell — letters
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. cap — a lid
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. wax — to grow
  17. cap — of ice
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wax — in the ear

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