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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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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rush — hurry
  3. march — the month
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. march — music
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stand — to bear
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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