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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 120 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: leaves · mark · rush · wax · rock · bank · arm · drill

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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. arm — part of the body
  4. drill — army training
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bank — for money
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mark — a trace
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rush — hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. rock — music

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