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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
468
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: wax · drill · craft · lie · last · lash · toast · mine

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. drill — a practice
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. last — final
  10. craft — boats
  11. mine — for digging
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. last — finally
  19. last — to go on
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. toast — bread

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