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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: jam · spring · board · arm · wax · mouse · wake · deal

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wax — to grow
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. spring — a coil
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. deal — to handle
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wake — a trail
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wake — before a funeral

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