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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. kick — in football
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. season — in sport
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. season — of the year
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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