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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
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: wake · lie · pass · season · racket · tube · wax · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wax — to grow
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tube — a container
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. season — in sport
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wake — a trail
  24. season — of the year

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