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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 120 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: lie · foot · object · wax · pop · nail · pitcher · wave

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. object — an aim
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. object — a thing
  11. pop — music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wax — to grow
  14. object — to protest
  15. pop — soda
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pop — to visit
  23. lie — to recline
  24. foot — the bottom

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