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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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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mark — a grade
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. branch — a division
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. race — a contest
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. race — humankind
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. race — the arms race
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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