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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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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: bank · ruler · wax · last · wave · kid · roll · suit

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bank — for money
  3. last — final
  4. last — to go on
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bank — of a river
  9. roll — a list
  10. last — finally
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. suit — clothes
  14. kid — to tease
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bank — for money
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. roll — a cake
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. kid — child
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — to grow

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