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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: wax · kid · charge · nail · spring · perch · wake · mouse

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. charge — electricity
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. kid — child
  23. wake — a trail
  24. kid — to tease

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