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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wax — to grow
  18. vault — a safe
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. chair — a leader
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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