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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · date · scale · bank · suit · wax · mine · calf

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mine — for digging
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bank — for money
  9. wax — to grow
  10. scale — size or range
  11. wind — moving air
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. scale — in music
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. suit — to fit

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