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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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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: fork · rest · wax · fall · patient · nail · spell · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wax — to grow
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. spell — magic
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. fall — the season
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fall — to drop
  20. spell — letters
  21. rest — a break
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fork — a garden tool

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