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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: pass · wax · club · lie · shower · plane · band · mouse

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. club — for dancing
  3. plane — a tool
  4. lie — to recline
  5. club — a group
  6. shower — to wash
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. band — a ring
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. club — for golf
  13. pass — a permit
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. shower — rain
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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