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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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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: rash · wax · bank · race · roll · pit · content · board

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. wax — to grow
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. roll — a list
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bank — for money
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bank — of a river
  19. race — humankind
  20. content — happy
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. race — a contest
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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