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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: stand · plane · wake · rule · staff · arm · lash · wax

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. plane — a tool
  13. staff — a stick
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wax — to grow
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rule — government
  23. arm — a part of something
  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