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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mark — a grade
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. fine — all right
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rash — a series
  18. pound — a weight
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wax — to grow
  24. rash — on the skin

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