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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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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 · temple · date · kick · bear · wax · race · current

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. current — of water
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. race — a contest
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. current — happening now
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. current — electric
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bear — the animal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. race — humankind
  20. bear — the animal
  21. race — the arms race
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. temple — side of the head

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