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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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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: mate · tear · coach · ruler · wax · pass · lash · temple

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mate — to breed
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — a partner
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. tear — to rip

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