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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
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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: staff · wave · row · pass · current · mouse · arm · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. staff — employees
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wax — to grow
  6. row — to paddle
  7. current — happening now
  8. row — a line
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. current — of water
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. current — electric
  16. staff — employees
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. arm — part of the body

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