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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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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 · patient · wave · nail · rock · rush · safe · scale

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rock — a stone
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wax — to grow
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wave — with your hand

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