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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.

Make a worksheet

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: clip · saw · coach · temple · wake · stand · content · wax

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. wake — a trail
  3. clip — a video
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — happy
  6. saw — the tool
  7. content — the amount
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wax — to grow
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stand — to bear
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. clip — to cut
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stand — on your feet

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