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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — to protest
  4. content — happy
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. last — finally
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. object — a thing
  17. suit — clothes
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. object — an aim
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. content — the amount
  24. wax — to grow

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