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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: roll · wax · foot · firm · bank · board · suit · leaves

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. firm — a company
  2. bank — of a river
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bank — for money
  5. board — a committee
  6. foot — a measure
  7. board — to get on
  8. wax — to grow
  9. firm — steady
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. roll — a list
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. suit — clothes
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. firm — decided
  22. roll — a cake
  23. suit — to fit
  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