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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. toast — bread
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bank — for money
  13. prune — to trim
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wax — to grow
  22. prune — to trim
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. arm — part of the body

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