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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: band · branch · tube · wax · chip · hide · stand · dip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. tube — a container
  7. band — a music group
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wax — to grow
  10. band — a ring
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. stand — to bear
  14. chip — to eat
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. branch — of a bank

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