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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: land · wax · wake · bank · bore · suit · lie · current

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. land — a country
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bank — of a river
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wake — a trail
  8. current — of water
  9. land — to come down
  10. wax — to grow
  11. current — electric
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. suit — clothes
  15. land — ground
  16. bore — to tire
  17. current — happening now
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bank — for money
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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