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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: staff · mug · wax · mouse · track · bass · clip · lash

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. clip — for paper
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mug — a cup
  5. staff — employees
  6. bass — the fish
  7. staff — a stick
  8. clip — a video
  9. track — a song
  10. bass — low music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. clip — to cut
  13. mug — a face
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. staff — employees
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. track — a path
  21. mug — to rob
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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