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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: pit · mark · wax · bank · mouse · club · saw · tear

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. club — a group
  4. tear — from crying
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bank — for money
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. club — for golf
  14. tear — to rip
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pit — a hole
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bank — of a river
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wax — to grow
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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