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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. track — a song
  6. file — a tool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. file — a document
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. file — a line of people
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. track — a path
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wax — to grow
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wax — for sculpting

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