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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: suit · ball · coach · bulb · wax · bank · last · pound

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — clothes
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — to go on
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a great time
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bank — for money
  17. last — finally
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. last — final
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pound — a weight
  24. ball — a dance

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