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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lean — thin
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pass — a permit
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bore — to tire
  8. kid — to tease
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. craft — boats
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bore — to drill
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. kid — child
  24. lean — to rest against

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