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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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Word bank
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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — all right
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. race — the arms race
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. race — a contest
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fine — high quality
  15. race — humankind
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. swing — in golf
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. swing — music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. swing — to play on

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