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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. roll — a cake
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rash — hasty
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. content — the amount
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rash — a series
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — to breed
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. content — happy
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wax — for sculpting

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