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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: pass · wave · wound · wax · bulb · hand · lean · snap

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. lean — thin
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. hand — in cards
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lean — to bend
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. hand — help
  24. wave — of the sea

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