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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: lash · patient · firm · kid · dip · wax · bowl · craft

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. dip — to sink
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kid — child
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. firm — steady
  16. craft — boats
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. firm — a company
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. kid — to tease

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