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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: wake · wax · mark · mate · lash · bay · cabinet · land

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mate — a partner
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. mate — a friend
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mark — a grade
  11. land — ground
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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