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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 120 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: wax · fine · hide · lean · leaves · wake · object · net

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wake — a trail
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — to protest
  11. net — after costs
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. net — in sport
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. lean — to bend
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. fine — high quality
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. net — for catching
  24. object — a thing

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