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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.

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: leaves · bank · race · fan · wax · lean · craft · prune

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. race — humankind
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. race — the arms race
  11. craft — a skill
  12. race — a contest
  13. bank — for money
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bank — for money
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. lean — to bend
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — boats
  24. prune — to trim

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