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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: wax · wave · current · dip · patient · deal · mate · stock

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. mate — to breed
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stock — shares
  5. current — happening now
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. current — electric
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mate — a partner
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. current — of water
  12. wax — to grow
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. dip — to sink
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. deal — to handle
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stock — goods

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