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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 116 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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wax — to grow
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. spell — magic
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — a short time
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. spell — letters
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hide — animal skin

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