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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mate — a friend
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wax — to grow
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mate — to breed
  13. spell — letters
  14. mate — a partner
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — magic
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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