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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 116 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: face · lie · stick · lean · wax · pass · clip · bark

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lean — thin
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. face — to confront
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. clip — a video
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. face — to point toward
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lie — an untruth

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