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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: wax · bound · temple · face · club · present · bat · lash

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. face — part of the head
  2. club — a group
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bound — obliged
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bound — tied together
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. face — to confront
  11. present — the time now
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. club — for dancing
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bat — the animal
  16. present — there
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. club — for golf
  20. present — a gift
  21. wax — to grow
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bound — certain
  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