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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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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 · mate · pound · nail · wax · bank · bear · wave

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pound — to hit hard

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