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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 116 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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bound — certain
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bank — for money
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bank — for money
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bank — of a river
  19. suit — to fit
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bound — tied together
  23. stock — goods
  24. bowl — a football final

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