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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.

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: tube · wave · staff · nail · mouse · key · kick · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. tube — a container
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — in music
  8. staff — a stick
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. key — the most important part
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. key — for a lock
  16. kick — in football
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. staff — employees

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