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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: mug · temple · straw · wake · wax · wind · cabinet · bank

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. mug — a face
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bank — for money
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wake — a trail
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. wax — to grow
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bank — for money

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