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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. kid — child
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bass — low music
  7. bank — for money
  8. season — of the year
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bank — for money
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. season — in sport
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bank — of a river
  20. kid — to tease
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. staff — employees
  24. toast — bread

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