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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 116 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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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: chip · lash · suit · hide · content · stick · ruler · wax

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. content — the amount
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. content — happy
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — to eat
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. chip — for betting
  16. suit — to fit
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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