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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · bank · wound · chip · pass · wax · root · spell

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. spell — magic
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spell — letters
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. chip — for betting
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bank — of a river
  15. root — of a plant
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wound — an injury
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. root — of a word
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. root — the cause

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