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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.

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: rest · saw · lie · wax · fork · rush · toast · sharp

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rest — what's left
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rest — a break
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. fork — in a road
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rush — hurry
  20. saw — the tool
  21. toast — bread
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — to eat with

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