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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
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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: lash · stem · ruler · current · spell · kick · lie · wax

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spell — letters
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. stem — to come from
  7. current — happening now
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spell — magic
  10. lie — to recline
  11. current — electric
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. current — of water
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wax — to grow
  22. kick — in football
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. wax — in the ear

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