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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.

Make a worksheet

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: face · wax · patient · bass · rush · lash · cap · ruler

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cap — a hat
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wax — to grow
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. face — part of the head
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rush — hurry
  17. face — to confront
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bass — low music
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rush — to hurry

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