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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.

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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: mouse · lean · wax · rock · lash · bear · stick · wave

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. lean — thin
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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