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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 120 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: wax · hide · ruler · spell · face · dip · wake · fall

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fall — the season
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. face — to confront
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — a trail
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wax — to grow
  12. face — part of the head
  13. spell — magic
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. face — to point toward
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — letters
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fall — to drop

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