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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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