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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: lie · wave · shower · bay · suit · wax · land · tube

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. wax — to grow
  5. land — to come down
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. land — ground
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. land — a country
  22. shower — rain
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. tube — in a tire

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