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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.

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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: chest · craft · wax · pass · lash · wave · stock · bear

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. chest — of your body
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chest — a box
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. craft — boats
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lash — to lash out

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