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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · nail · wave · wax · content · wound · mark · net

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — in sport
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mark — a trace
  14. content — happy
  15. net — for catching
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. mark — a grade
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. content — the amount
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. net — after costs
  23. bear — the animal
  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