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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: wax · arm · cabinet · lean · charge · rush · bank · prune

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rush — hurry
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bank — for money
  11. charge — in control
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lean — to bend
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. charge — a price
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bank — of a river
  21. lean — thin
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. lean — to rest against

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