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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 120 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: bay · perch · bank · fine · spell · rush · wax · wake

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bank — for money
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. spell — letters
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fine — high quality
  21. spell — magic
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fine — all right
  24. wake — a trail

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