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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: stock · tube · rush · cabinet · bank · calf · wax · patient

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bank — for money
  6. rush — hurry
  7. stock — shares
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — a container
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bank — of a river
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stock — goods
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wax — to grow
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bank — for money

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