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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 116 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
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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: bore · shower · wax · ball · capital · cabinet · race · bank

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. race — humankind
  4. shower — rain
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — the arms race
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. shower — to wash
  11. race — a contest
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wax — to grow
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. capital — a city
  22. bank — for money
  23. ball — a dance
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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