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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chest — a box
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — for money
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wax — to grow
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. scale — size or range
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. chest — of your body

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