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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.

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: plane · wax · wave · rest · patient · lie · track · last

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. plane — a tool
  3. track — to keep track
  4. last — final
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. rest — a break
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. track — a song
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. track — a path
  23. rest — what's left
  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