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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 · jam · bank · bark · lie · coach · file · wave

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bank — for money
  5. file — a document
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lie — to recline
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. file — a tool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bank — for money
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bark — to shout
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wax — to grow

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