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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 · mark · wax · bass · date · arm · stand · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bass — low music
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bank — for money
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. date — the fruit
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mark — a trace
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — the fish
  24. arm — a part of something

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