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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: wave · rest · hide · net · capital · wax · temple · saw

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. net — after costs
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rest — what's left
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. net — for catching
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rest — what's left
  12. capital — money
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. capital — a city
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. saw — the tool
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. net — in sport
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rest — a break
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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