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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: snap · wax · bank · rest · bound · can · rule · bay

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rule — government
  4. can — a tin
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bound — certain
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bound — obliged
  10. rest — what's left
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rule — a law
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bound — tied together
  18. can — a tin
  19. wax — to grow
  20. snap — to click
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rest — a break

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