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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. firm — decided
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. firm — steady
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. firm — a company
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. fan — to cool the air

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