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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. board — to get on
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. press — newspapers
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. branch — a division
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. press — to push
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wax — to grow
  24. board — a committee

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