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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: mouse · key · wax · spell · fan · temple · bound · wave

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bound — obliged
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bound — certain
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spell — letters
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. key — in music
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bound — tied together
  22. spell — magic
  23. key — for a lock
  24. temple — a place of worship

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