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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.

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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: stick · stem · calf · sharp · wax · wave · rush · rash

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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. wave — of the sea
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rash — a series
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rash — hasty

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