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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chest — of your body
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rest — a break
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. chest — of your body
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. lie — to recline

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