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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 120 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: trunk · lash · wax · spell · snap · rest · mark · charge

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mark — a grade
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. spell — letters
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wax — to grow
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. charge — electricity
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. spell — magic
  15. rest — what's left
  16. charge — a price
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. charge — in control
  19. rest — a break
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rest — what's left
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. spell — a short time

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