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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: jam · rash · calf · deal · wax · spring · wound · wave

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rash — a series
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. deal — to handle
  6. spring — of water
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wax — to grow
  10. spring — the season
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wound — an injury
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. spring — a coil
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wave — of the sea

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