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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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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: row · lash · wax · cue · straw · ground · last · bay

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. ground — crushed
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ground — a position
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. last — finally
  13. ground — the earth
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cue — for pool
  21. last — final
  22. last — to go on
  23. row — a line
  24. lash — to lash out

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