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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.

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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: wax · object · bowl · coach · fine · cabinet · branch · game

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. game — a match
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fine — high quality
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. object — to protest
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fine — all right
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. branch — a division
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. object — an aim
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — a thing
  24. branch — of a tree

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