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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: last · rash · wax · current · mate · chip · wave · staff

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. rash — a series
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mate — a partner
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. rash — hasty
  9. staff — employees
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. staff — a stick
  12. last — final
  13. current — electric
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mate — to breed
  20. staff — employees
  21. mate — a friend
  22. last — to go on
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. chip — in a computer

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