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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.

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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: wave · mouse · patient · rock · wax · stock · file · suit

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rock — music
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. file — a line of people
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rock — a stone
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. file — a tool
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. file — a document
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stock — goods
  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