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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: spell · arm · lash · firm · bowl · bulb · wax · field

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spell — magic
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. firm — a company
  6. spell — a short time
  7. field — farmland
  8. spell — letters
  9. field — a subject
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. field — for sport
  14. firm — steady
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bulb — for light
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. firm — decided
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lash — to lash out

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