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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: wax · bass · bark · hide · temple · nail · bank · toast

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. toast — bread
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bass — the fish
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — low music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — to shout
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bank — for money
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wax — to grow

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