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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 · bound · racket · roll · patient · foot · last · wave

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. last — final
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. last — to go on
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. last — finally
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. foot — a measure
  18. roll — a list
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. wax — to grow

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