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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: wax · lean · sharp · patient · last · ground · charge · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lean — thin
  5. bank — of a river
  6. charge — a price
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. charge — electricity
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. charge — in control
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bank — for money
  16. last — finally
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lean — to bend
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wax — to grow
  23. ground — a position
  24. sharp — exactly

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