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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.

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 · wind · face · rock · staff · tube · lash · cabinet

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. face — part of the head
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. tube — the underground
  6. face — to point toward
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. staff — a stick
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. staff — employees
  18. tube — a container
  19. rock — music
  20. staff — employees
  21. rock — a stone
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wind — moving air
  24. face — to confront

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