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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: safe · lie · capital · wax · sharp · rash · club · coach

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. club — a group
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — to recline
  6. club — for golf
  7. wax — to grow
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rash — hasty
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. rash — a series
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. club — for dancing
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. capital — a city
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. capital — money
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. sharp — clever

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