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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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. charge — a price
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lean — to bend
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — in control
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. tube — a container
  22. track — a song
  23. mine — for digging
  24. lean — thin

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