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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: calf · leaves · wax · snap · key · rush · net · wake

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. net — after costs
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. key — in music
  9. net — in sport
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. wax — to grow
  12. snap — to click
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — for catching
  16. key — the most important part
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rush — hurry

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