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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: rush · wax · club · last · mouse · kick · present · lie

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. present — the time now
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. club — for golf
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — there
  16. last — final
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. present — a gift
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. last — to go on
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. kick — in football

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