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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · bowl · leaves · pound · wax · bay · bank · current

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. spell — letters
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. current — electric
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — of a river
  16. current — happening now
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. current — of water
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spell — magic
  24. bowl — a dish

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