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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rock — music
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. dip — to sink
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rock — a stone
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. arm — part of the body

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