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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 120 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: wax · wake · cell · calf · mate · rush · suit · firm

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cell — in biology
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. firm — decided
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cell — a phone
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mate — a friend
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mate — to breed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wake — a trail
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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