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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
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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: season · foot · lean · mouse · bass · wax · rash · march

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rash — a series
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. march — the month
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. march — the month
  7. rash — hasty
  8. season — in sport
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. lean — to bend
  12. march — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lean — thin
  23. season — of the year
  24. foot — part of the body

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