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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. bank — for money
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rock — a stone
  6. march — the month
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rule — government
  14. pound — a weight
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. pass — a permit
  18. rock — music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rule — a law
  23. pass — to succeed
  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