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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: squash · clip · foot · nail · wave · stock · stick · wax

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wax — to grow
  5. squash — the sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stock — shares
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. squash — to crush
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. clip — for paper
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. clip — a video
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. clip — to cut
  22. stock — goods
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. wax — for sculpting

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