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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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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: stem · lash · mark · bound · wax · sharp · nail · straw

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mark — a trace
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bound — certain
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — to come from
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bound — tied together

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