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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: nail · lash · patient · wax · cue · rush · fork · land

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — to grow
  5. land — ground
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rush — hurry
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. cue — a hint
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. land — to come down
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. land — a country
  24. rush — to hurry

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