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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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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: bear · wax · roll · dip · lash · sharp · stock · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wax — to grow
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. roll — a list
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stock — shares
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stock — goods
  24. sharp — exactly

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