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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. tube — the underground
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. tube — a container
  8. mug — a cup
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mug — a face
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rule — a law
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. branch — a division
  20. rule — government
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mug — to rob

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