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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. wound — an injury
  12. branch — a division
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bank — for money
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wound — an injury
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. temple — a place of worship

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