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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
468
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: bank · tube · prune · wax · ball · lie · mark · kick

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. tube — the underground
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mark — a grade
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bank — for money
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mark — a trace
  18. tube — a container
  19. bank — for money
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wax — for sculpting

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