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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. current — happening now
  3. firm — steady
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. firm — decided
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. current — electric
  11. rash — a series
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. current — of water
  15. firm — a company
  16. object — to protest
  17. row — to paddle
  18. deal — to handle
  19. row — a line
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. deal — a big deal

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