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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: bound · last · stick · wax · lash · perch · saw · face

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. last — finally
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. face — to confront
  7. saw — the tool
  8. last — final
  9. face — to point toward
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. saw — the tool
  13. last — to go on
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — certain
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wax — for sculpting

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