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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · wax · chair · arm · bank · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rush — hurry
  6. chair — a leader
  7. lean — thin
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. lean — to bend
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. wax — to grow
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. arm — a part of something

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