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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: present · track · foot · wax · leaves · swing · lash · deal

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. swing — in golf
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. present — the time now
  6. wax — to grow
  7. foot — a measure
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. track — a song
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. track — to keep track
  15. swing — music
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. present — there
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. track — a path
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. present — a gift

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