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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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Word bank
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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. wax — in the ear
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bank — for money
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wax — to grow
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. track — a path
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. drill — a practice
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pop — soda
  21. track — a song
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pop — music
  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