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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: cabinet · safe · wax · lash · lie · snap · branch · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. snap — to click
  6. last — finally
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. wax — to grow
  17. last — final
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. branch — a division
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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