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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. chair — a leader
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. can — a tin

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