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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: temple · court · wave · sharp · wax · cabinet · stem · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stem — to come from
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. court — of law
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. wax — to grow
  24. sharp — clever

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