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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 116 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: bowl · racket · lash · hide · wax · staff · wind · race

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wind — moving air
  4. race — the arms race
  5. staff — employees
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. staff — a stick
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. race — humankind
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wind — moving air
  19. race — a contest
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wax — to grow
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a dish

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