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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — to fit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. suit — in cards
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wax — in the ear

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