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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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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: toast · wax · rest · chair · rule · bank · bowl · squash

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rule — a law
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. toast — bread
  12. rest — what's left
  13. squash — the sport
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bank — for money
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. rest — a break
  22. rule — government
  23. wax — to grow
  24. squash — to crush

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