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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: sharp · bank · fine · trunk · bulb · wax · board · bat

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bulb — for light
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. board — to get on
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. fine — all right
  20. bulb — for light
  21. board — a committee
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bat — the animal
  24. wax — to grow

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