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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. object — an aim
  7. roll — a cake
  8. content — happy
  9. rash — hasty
  10. current — of water
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. object — a thing
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. current — electric
  15. can — a tin
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. content — the amount
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. object — to protest
  22. current — happening now
  23. can — a tin
  24. roll — a list

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