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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: bank · wake · branch · suit · land · wax · shower · fine

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. land — ground
  3. shower — rain
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wake — a trail
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fine — all right
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bank — for money
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — for money
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. suit — in cards
  23. branch — a division
  24. wake — before a funeral

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