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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: rest · lie · bank · rush · row · wax · bark · trunk

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lie — to recline
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. row — a line
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rest — a break
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rest — what's left
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rush — hurry

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