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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 116 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: wax · racket · wave · cap · deal · band · mug · spring

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mug — to rob
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mug — a face
  8. wax — to grow
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. spring — the season
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cap — a lid
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a ring
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. racket — for tennis

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