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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.

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: squash · chip · spell · wax · face · lash · bowl · patient

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. squash — the sport
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. spell — a short time
  7. face — to confront
  8. chip — for betting
  9. squash — to crush
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. face — to point toward
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. chip — to eat
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. face — part of the head
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lash — to lash out

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