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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wake — a trail
  5. dip — to sink
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. root — of a word
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. root — the cause
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. root — of a plant
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. wax — to grow
  24. dip — a sauce

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