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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
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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: lash · land · club · shower · toast · wax · season · stick

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. land — to come down
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. season — in sport
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. season — of the year
  9. club — for dancing
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. land — ground
  12. toast — bread
  13. club — for golf
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. land — a country
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. club — a group
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wax — to grow

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