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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: snap · mark · trunk · mouse · patient · wave · wax · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mark — a trace
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mark — a grade
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to click
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. nail — for a hammer

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