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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. cue — a hint
  6. bank — for money
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bank — of a river
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. cue — a signal
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. scale — in music
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. staff — employees
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cue — for pool
  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