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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.

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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: pop · lean · bat · hide · dip · season · bank · wax

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pop — music
  4. dip — to sink
  5. pop — to visit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — thin
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pop — soda
  11. bat — the animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bank — for money
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wax — to grow
  24. dip — to dunk

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