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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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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: present · wax · wake · foot · racket · club · jam · object

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. object — a thing
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wax — to grow
  9. club — for golf
  10. present — there
  11. wake — a trail
  12. object — to protest
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. present — the time now
  16. club — a group
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. object — an aim
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. present — a gift
  24. club — for dancing

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