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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
468
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 · tear · racket · wax · lean · bass · sharp · bulb

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bass — low music
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wax — to grow
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. lean — thin
  24. lash — to lash out

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