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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 124 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: rash · wax · staff · bark · last · bank · wave · rush

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. staff — employees
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bank — for money
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. staff — a stick
  12. last — final
  13. last — to go on
  14. bank — of a river
  15. staff — employees
  16. bank — for money
  17. rash — hasty
  18. last — finally
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. rush — hurry

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