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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. hand — help
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. foot — a measure
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. snap — to click
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wax — to grow
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. tube — a container
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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