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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. lean — thin
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pop — music
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bound — certain
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pop — soda
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. lean — to bend

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