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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. foot — a measure
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. season — in sport
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. season — of the year
  14. dip — to sink
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. wax — in the ear

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