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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kid — child
  19. chair — a leader
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. kid — to tease
  24. foot — part of the body

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