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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rest — a break
  6. hand — in cards
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. bank — for money
  11. rest — what's left
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hand — help
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. hand — part of the body

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