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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.

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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: wax · wake · lash · dip · firm · bore · staff · jam

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. firm — a company
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wax — to grow
  5. staff — employees
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. firm — steady
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bore — to drill
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wake — a trail
  22. firm — decided
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. staff — employees

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