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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. band — a ring
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. saw — the tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. firm — decided
  10. chair — a leader
  11. firm — a company
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bank — of a river
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a list
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bank — for money
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. saw — the tool
  24. band — a music group

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