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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · wax · arm · rash · march · stock · bay · toast

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. march — the month
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. stock — shares
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stock — goods
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rash — a series
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. toast — bread
  24. rash — on the skin

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