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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — in cards
  6. firm — decided
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wound — an injury
  9. charge — a price
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. face — part of the head
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. charge — electricity
  20. firm — steady
  21. face — to confront
  22. suit — clothes
  23. firm — a company
  24. charge — in control

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