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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: saw · rush · wax · lash · squash · bowl · pop · rock

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pop — music
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pop — soda
  12. rock — music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. saw — the tool

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