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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 120 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: last · craft · wax · wave · nail · game · press · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. last — to go on
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. wax — to grow
  14. last — final
  15. last — finally
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. craft — a skill
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. press — a publisher
  24. game — a match

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