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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 120 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: mark · mouse · lash · wax · bay · land · staff · arm

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mark — a grade
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. staff — employees
  22. land — to come down
  23. wax — to grow
  24. staff — a stick

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