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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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. club — for golf
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wax — to grow
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — to tease
  23. club — a group
  24. wound — an injury

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