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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. staff — employees
  6. chip — to eat
  7. march — the month
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. staff — employees
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. march — the month
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bank — of a river

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