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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pop · bank · mine · rush · pit · calf · root · wax

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mine — for digging
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wax — to grow
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bank — for money
  10. root — the cause
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. root — of a word
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pop — music
  19. root — of a plant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pop — soda

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