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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: dip · arm · swing · wax · hide · row · mark · mine

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. row — to paddle
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. row — a line
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — in golf
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wax — to grow
  24. hide — animal skin

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