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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.

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: wave · key · ground · wax · mouse · rash

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. key — in music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ground — the earth
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rash — a series
  18. mouse — for a computer

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