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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: band · sharp · pass · dip · pound · spell · wax · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. spell — magic
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. spell — letters
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. lie — to recline
  17. sharp — clever
  18. band — a music group
  19. pass — a permit
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. band — a ring
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. sharp — exactly

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