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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · club · racket · land · wake · wax · arm · ball

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. ball — a great time
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wax — to grow
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. land — a country
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. club — a group
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. arm — part of the body

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