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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 120 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: lash · leaves · wound · fine · wave · wax · hide · key

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. key — the most important part
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fine — all right
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. key — in music
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wave — of the sea

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