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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. prune — to trim
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. drill — a practice
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rule — government
  12. cue — for pool
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rule — a law
  18. drill — army training
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wax — to grow
  21. cue — a signal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wax — for sculpting

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