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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 116 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. swing — in golf
  3. object — to protest
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. clip — to cut
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. swing — music
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cell — in biology
  12. swing — to play on
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. object — an aim
  16. cell — a phone
  17. clip — a video
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. clip — for paper
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. object — a thing
  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