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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: wax · safe · patient · capital · wind · suit · lash · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. capital — a city
  10. suit — to fit
  11. capital — money
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wax — to grow
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. suit — clothes
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wind — moving air
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. suit — in cards
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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