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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 116 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: leaves · bay · row · mouse · wave · trunk · wax · face

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. face — to point toward
  3. row — to paddle
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. face — part of the head
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. row — a line
  22. face — to confront
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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