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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. race — the arms race
  4. date — the fruit
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. race — humankind
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wax — to grow
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. race — a contest
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stem — to come from
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bound — tied together
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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