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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: swing · squash · rest · wax · tear · bay · bank · wake

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  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. rest — what's left
  2. swing — to play on
  3. rest — a break
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rest — what's left
  7. squash — the sport
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. swing — music
  11. bank — for money
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. tear — from crying
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bank — for money
  18. swing — in golf
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wax — in the ear
  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