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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: mine · rock · wax · wave · nail · shower · rule · mate

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. rule — a law
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. shower — rain
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. shower — to wash
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mate — a partner
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rock — music
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  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