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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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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — after costs
  4. bank — for money
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — army training
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bank — for money
  18. net — for catching
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. drill — a practice

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