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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. spell — magic
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. suit — to fit
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. content — happy
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. spell — letters
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wax — to grow
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. suit — in cards
  23. spell — a short time
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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