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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 116 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: pitcher · bay · last · cap · wax · mug · bank · pound

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. mug — a cup
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wax — to grow
  6. last — final
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. last — finally
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — a face
  15. last — to go on
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bank — for money
  20. pound — a weight
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bank — of a river

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