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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · calf · rush · rash · wind · bore · cap · wax

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. cap — a hat
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cap — of ice
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. rash — a series
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wind — moving air
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — a lid
  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