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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lash · spell · suit · wax · pit · fine · branch · perch

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fine — all right
  8. spell — a short time
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. spell — letters
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. branch — a division
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pit — in a race
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lash — an eyelash

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