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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
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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: squash · bore · wax · hide · last · face · mate · lean

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. lean — thin
  4. wax — to grow
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lean — to bend
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bore — to tire
  18. squash — the sport
  19. last — final
  20. face — to confront
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. last — finally
  24. hide — to keep secret

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