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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: tube · cue · stand · branch · mark · lie · jam · wax

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — to bear
  4. branch — a division
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. lie — to recline
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wax — to grow
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mark — a grade
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tube — the underground
  19. cue — a signal
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. tube — a container
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stand — on your feet

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