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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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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: lash · wax · bound · pass · lean · lie · last · march

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. pass — a permit
  5. last — to go on
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. last — finally
  8. wax — to grow
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. march — the month
  14. last — final
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. lean — to bend
  18. march — the month
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. march — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lean — thin
  24. lash — to lash out

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