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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 120 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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. content — happy
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ball — a dance
  15. content — the amount
  16. can — a tin
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — a tin
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chip — to eat
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. chip — in a computer

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