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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.

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 · pop · ball · staff · stick · ground · wave · leaves

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ball — a great time
  3. staff — employees
  4. ground — a position
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. staff — employees
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pop — soda
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pop — music
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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