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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 116 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. plane — a tool
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lean — thin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chair — a leader

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