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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 · bass · object · foot · leaves · rash · temple · court

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bass — the fish
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bass — low music
  8. rash — a series
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wax — to grow
  12. object — an aim
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. foot — a measure
  17. court — of a king
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bass — the instrument

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