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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. spell — magic
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chest — of your body
  6. firm — a company
  7. branch — a division
  8. firm — decided
  9. spell — letters
  10. rush — hurry
  11. spell — a short time
  12. chest — a box
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pop — to visit
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wax — to grow
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pop — music
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. firm — steady
  23. pop — soda
  24. branch — of a tree

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