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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. club — a group
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mate — to breed
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. club — for golf
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pass — a permit

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