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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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · pop · march · cue · cabinet · lash · plane · wax

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. march — the month
  3. wax — to grow
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pop — music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pop — soda
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. march — the month
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. march — music

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