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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
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: perch · wake · lean · mate · lash · wax · cabinet · plane

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mate — to breed
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mate — a partner
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lean — thin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wake — a trail
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lean — to bend
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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