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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: branch · temple · wax · mark · cabinet · pit · vault · net

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. net — after costs
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. net — for catching
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. net — in sport
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — to grow

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