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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: lash · file · staff · temple · wax · snap · stand · bass

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. staff — employees
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stand — to bear
  5. file — a line of people
  6. staff — employees
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. file — a tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wax — to grow
  15. staff — a stick
  16. file — a document
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bass — the fish
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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