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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. shower — rain
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — to wash
  6. last — finally
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. suit — to fit
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. game — a match
  15. last — final
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lean — to bend
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. game — wild animals
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. suit — in cards

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