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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. dip — to sink
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pass — to spend time

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