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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · saw · wax · track · branch · game · nail · land

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. saw — the tool
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. land — ground
  5. track — to keep track
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. track — a path
  12. branch — a division
  13. game — a match
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. track — a song
  17. saw — the tool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. tube — the underground
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — a container
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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