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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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Word bank
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. suit — in cards
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. suit — clothes
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. spell — magic
  21. suit — to fit
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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