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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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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: coach · lash · fork · firm · bay · wax · leaves · fine

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. firm — a company
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. firm — decided
  14. fine — high quality
  15. firm — steady
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. fine — all right
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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