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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · pit · wake · safe · current · spring · lash · wax

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spring — the season
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pit — a hole
  6. row — a line
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. current — happening now
  9. pit — in a race
  10. row — to paddle
  11. spring — a coil
  12. wax — to grow
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. current — electric
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. current — of water
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — of water

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