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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wax · foot · lean · dip · key · present · wake · swing

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wax — to grow
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. foot — a measure
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. swing — in golf
  14. lean — thin
  15. present — there
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. swing — to play on
  20. present — the time now
  21. swing — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. present — a gift
  24. key — for a lock

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