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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: roll · mark · wake · wax · craft · tube · bank · swing

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. roll — a cake
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. roll — a list
  6. wax — to grow
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bank — for money
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. craft — boats
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. tube — a container
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mark — a trace
  20. swing — music
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bank — for money
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. swing — to play on

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