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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cold — an illness
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. firm — steady
  7. wax — to grow
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. firm — a company
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — to get on
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cold — not warm
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. board — a committee
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fine — high quality

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