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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 · wax · can · arm · mate · mark · pitcher · shower

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mark — a trace
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mate — a partner
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. shower — to wash
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. can — a tin
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wax — to grow
  17. shower — rain
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. can — a tin
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mate — a friend

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