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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 116 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 · bat · can · key · wax · mouse · spell · wave

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. wax — to grow
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. key — in music
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. spell — a short time
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bat — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mouse — the animal

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