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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · jam · bear · rest · bound · wax · dip · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bank — for money
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wax — to grow
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rest — a break
  11. bound — certain
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bank — for money
  19. tube — the underground
  20. rest — what's left
  21. dip — to sink
  22. tube — a container
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. wax — in the ear

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