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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. hand — help
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fork — in a road
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. temple — side of the head

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