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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: wound · wax · wave · lie · suit · stick · bound · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wound — an injury
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wound — an injury
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bound — certain
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wax — in the ear

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