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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: mate · wave · spell · swing · sharp · rest · wax · nail

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. spell — magic
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mate — a friend
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. swing — to play on
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mate — a partner
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spell — letters
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rest — what's left
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mate — to breed
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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