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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. lie — to recline
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lean — thin
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — a tool
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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