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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. snap — to click
  4. last — finally
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bank — for money
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. last — to go on
  12. bank — for money
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. last — final
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. kick — in football
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wake — a trail
  24. safe — a strongbox

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