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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bank — for money
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a word
  14. pound — a weight
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wind — moving air
  18. root — the cause
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wind — moving air
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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