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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — a container
  10. ground — crushed
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. ground — a position
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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