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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.

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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: cell · nail · cabinet · mate · wax · stick · racket · suit

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cell — a phone
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — to breed
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mate — a friend
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wax — for sculpting

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