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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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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: wake · suit · wax · spell · land · stick · ball · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. land — ground
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wake — a trail
  9. spell — magic
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. suit — in cards
  13. land — a country
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. land — to come down
  16. spell — letters
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. spell — a short time
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wax — to grow
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wax — in the ear

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