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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fall — to drop
  6. perch — the fish
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — a trail
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. can — a tin
  18. fall — the season
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bank — for money
  23. pound — a weight
  24. can — to be able to

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