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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wind — moving air
  4. current — electric
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bank — for money
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bank — for money

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