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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. spell — a short time
  10. club — a group
  11. kid — to tease
  12. club — for golf
  13. kid — child
  14. hand — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. wax — to grow
  20. spell — magic
  21. hand — help
  22. suit — to fit
  23. spell — letters
  24. wax — in the ear

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