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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: wax · pass · bank · spring · mark · vault · file · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. wax — to grow
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bank — for money
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bank — of a river
  10. mark — a trace
  11. branch — a division
  12. file — a line of people
  13. spring — the season
  14. file — a tool
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bank — for money
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. file — a document
  21. spring — of water
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. pass — a permit
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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