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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: spell · wax · deal · pitcher · root · pit · bank · chair

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bank — for money
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. root — the cause
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. bank — of a river
  11. deal — to handle
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. spell — letters
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — a hole

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