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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. staff — employees
  4. club — a group
  5. staff — employees
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. staff — a stick
  11. club — for golf
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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