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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: fan · game · wax · pop · current · present · wave · patient

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. current — happening now
  3. pop — to visit
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. current — of water
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. current — electric
  11. game — wild animals
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pop — soda
  14. present — there
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. game — a match
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. present — the time now
  23. pop — music
  24. present — a gift

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