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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. object — a thing
  4. bass — the fish
  5. craft — a skill
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. craft — boats
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. last — to go on
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. last — final
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. object — to protest
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. last — finally
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bass — low music
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wax — to grow

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