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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bank — of a river
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. snap — to click
  9. content — the amount
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ground — a position
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bank — for money
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. content — happy
  24. perch — the fish

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