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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: foot · bass · rush · wax · plane · bay · rock · bank

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bank — for money
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bass — low music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rock — music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bay — a horse colour

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