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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 120 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wake — a trail
  7. season — in sport
  8. mate — to breed
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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