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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: squash · bay · bound · last · snap · wax · bass · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. last — to go on
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bound — tied together
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. last — finally
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. squash — to crush
  24. last — final

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