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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fine — all right
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mug — a cup
  10. lean — to bend
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. squash — to crush
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a face
  16. squash — the sport
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lean — thin
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stem — to come from
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fine — high quality
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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