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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bark · wave · kid · sharp · suit · wax · fan · bank

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. kid — child
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. kid — to tease
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bank — for money
  18. wax — to grow
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — for money
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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