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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: wave · wax · bank · fork · pit · ball · wound · mark

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fork — in a road
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pit — in a race
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bank — for money
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. ball — a round shape

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