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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: wax · spell · hide · tear · march · temple · wave · coach

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. march — the month
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. wax — to grow
  11. march — the month
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. march — music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. tear — from crying

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