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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lean — to bend
  3. roll — a list
  4. firm — steady
  5. land — a country
  6. roll — a cake
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. lean — thin
  10. firm — a company
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. land — to come down
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. firm — decided
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wax — to grow
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bank — for money
  22. land — ground
  23. bank — for money
  24. roll — on a roll

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