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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: dip · board · lash · swing · rush · wax · can · present

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. dip — to sink
  2. present — a gift
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. swing — to play on
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. can — a tin
  7. present — there
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. board — to get on
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. swing — in golf
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. present — the time now
  18. rush — hurry
  19. can — a tin
  20. wax — to grow
  21. swing — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rush — a thrill
  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