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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: wax · lash · object · can · staff · patient · mug · stock

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. staff — a stick
  3. can — a tin
  4. object — to protest
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. can — a tin
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stock — goods
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mug — a face
  15. staff — employees
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. staff — employees
  20. mug — a cup
  21. object — an aim
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. mug — to rob
  24. patient — a sick person

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