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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.

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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: pass · perch · wave · wax · temple · race · leaves · bank

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wax — to grow
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. race — humankind
  6. bank — for money
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. race — a contest
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. perch — the fish
  19. race — the arms race
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bank — for money
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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