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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.

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: rest · bark · straw · rush · pop · bank · cap · wax

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bank — for money
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bank — for money
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. rest — a break
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cap — a lid
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pop — to visit
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wax — in the ear

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