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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. shower — to wash
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — to protest
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. object — an aim
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bank — for money
  19. object — a thing
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. shower — rain
  22. prune — to trim
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mouse — for a computer

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