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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: lash · bank · jam · club · plane · bass · wax · bound

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bound — certain
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bank — for money
  7. bound — obliged
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bank — for money
  11. club — for golf
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wax — to grow
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bass — low music
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. club — a group

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