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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. tube — a container
  7. field — farmland
  8. wax — to grow
  9. craft — boats
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. tube — the underground
  13. field — for sport
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rock — music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. field — a subject

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