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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: kick · pit · bank · wax · fan · pound · safe · mark

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bank — for money
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pit — in a race
  13. kick — in football
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — a trace
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wax — to grow

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