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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. face — to confront
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mug — a face
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. date — the fruit
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mug — to rob
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wax — to grow
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. date — on the calendar

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