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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 116 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 · wax · suit · drill · hide · bulb · wave · wind

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wax — to grow
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bulb — for light
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bank — of a river
  17. drill — the tool
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. drill — army training
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bank — for money

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