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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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mate — to breed
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. row — a line
  6. bound — tied together
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mate — a partner
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bank — of a river
  15. field — farmland
  16. bound — certain
  17. field — for sport
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. field — a subject
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mate — a friend

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