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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: row · bank · rush · chip · wax · suit · mine · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. row — to paddle
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. row — a line
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rush — hurry
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bank — of a river
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. wax — for sculpting

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