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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mark — a grade
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fall — the season
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — a trail
  24. mark — to pay attention

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