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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. club — for dancing
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. band — a ring
  13. club — a group
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. band — a music group
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. club — for golf
  24. wax — for sculpting

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