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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 · bank · pitcher · firm · tube · spring · snap · safe

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. firm — a company
  4. spring — a coil
  5. snap — to click
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. spring — of water
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. wax — to grow
  19. tube — a container
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. spring — the season

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