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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wax — to grow
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. prune — to trim
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. track — a path
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. track — a song

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