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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · temple · spring · chest · board · nail · rock · wax

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. wax — to grow
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. chest — of your body
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. board — to get on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. board — a committee

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