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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. shower — rain
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. shower — to wash
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wax — for sculpting

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