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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spell — a short time
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — music
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rock — a stone
  24. calf — of the leg

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