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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wake — a trail
  4. current — happening now
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. root — of a plant
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mark — a trace
  13. root — of a word
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. root — the cause
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. deal — to handle

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