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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: fine · game · deal · rash · wave · nail · shower · wax

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. game — wild animals
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. fine — all right
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rash — a series
  13. shower — rain
  14. wax — to grow
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — to handle
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. shower — to wash
  24. game — a match

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