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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: toast · wax · date · stick · wave · face · mark · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. date — the fruit
  7. face — to confront
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wax — to grow
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mark — a grade
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. toast — bread
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. face — to point toward

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