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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 116 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: field · rush · firm · pit · bank · squash · shower · wax

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. firm — a company
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pit — a hole
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. field — a subject
  14. pit — in a race
  15. field — for sport
  16. firm — steady
  17. shower — rain
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rush — hurry
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. firm — decided
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. field — farmland

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