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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 116 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: pit · mate · object · shower · spell · wax · pitcher · lash

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. object — to protest
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — letters
  7. shower — rain
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. object — a thing
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. object — an aim
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pit — a hole
  23. shower — to wash
  24. pitcher — a jug

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