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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. last — finally
  6. wax — to grow
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. row — a line
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. foot — a measure
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. last — final
  18. object — an aim
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. last — to go on
  24. wax — in the ear

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