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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: fork · wave · rush · toast · season · rash · wind · wax

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. fork — in a road
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. season — in sport
  14. toast — bread
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. season — of the year
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rush — a thrill

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