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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wax — to grow
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rash — a series
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. branch — a division
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rash — hasty
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — a trace

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