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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. land — a country
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. land — to come down
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. row — a line
  10. craft — boats
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. row — to paddle
  20. land — ground
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pass — a permit

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