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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: nail · arm · wax · shower · wound · spell · wave · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. current — electric
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — rain
  7. current — happening now
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. spell — magic
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wound — an injury
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. current — of water
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. spell — letters
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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