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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. lean — to bend
  6. current — electric
  7. wake — a trail
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. file — a line of people
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. current — of water
  12. file — a tool
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. current — happening now
  18. file — a document
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. vault — a safe
  24. lean — thin

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