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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. net — after costs
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. deal — to handle
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. net — in sport
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rash — a series
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a face
  17. suit — to fit
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mug — a cup
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. net — for catching
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rash — hasty

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