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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: wave · net · game · fan · wax · object · firm · mark

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. net — in sport
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — to protest
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wax — to grow
  10. game — a match
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. net — after costs
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. net — for catching
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. object — a thing
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. game — wild animals

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