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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · safe · date · march · land · straw · lie · court

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. court — of a king
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. lie — to recline
  7. land — to come down
  8. march — the month
  9. court — for sport
  10. date — the fruit
  11. land — ground
  12. march — the month
  13. land — a country
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wax — to grow
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. court — of law
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. march — music

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