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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.

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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: face · pitch · cabinet · wax · wave · bank · pop · rest

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pop — soda
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — completely
  10. face — part of the head
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pop — music
  14. face — to confront
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. face — to point toward
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wave — of the sea
  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