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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 116 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: bank · key · bowl · wind · perch · wax · bulb · straw

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. wind — moving air
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. key — in music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. perch — the fish
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — a football final

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