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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: leaves · row · rush · wax · plane · kid · fan · bank

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. row — a line
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rush — hurry
  8. wax — to grow
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. kid — child
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. plane — a tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bank — for money
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fan — a supporter

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