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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.

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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: hide · object · court · lash · wax · pound · face · wake

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. object — to protest
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pound — a weight
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. object — a thing
  10. court — of a king
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. court — of law
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. court — for sport
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. object — an aim
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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