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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stock — shares
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. charge — in control
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. band — a ring
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stock — goods
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. band — a music group
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. lie — to recline

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