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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wax — to grow
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — a price
  19. staff — employees
  20. suit — in cards
  21. charge — in control
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. staff — a stick

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