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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. net — for catching
  4. rule — a law
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. net — in sport
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. fall — to drop
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rule — government
  20. net — after costs
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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