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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.

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: cell · hand · face · staff · wax · tube · lash · bear

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. staff — employees
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bear — the animal
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. staff — employees
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. hand — help
  12. bear — the animal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. tube — a container
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. tube — the underground
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cell — a phone

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