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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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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. last — final
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. last — to go on
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. last — finally
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. march — the month

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