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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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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: staff · cap · foot · branch · ball · nail · wax · stand

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cap — a hat
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. ball — a great time
  17. staff — employees
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. foot — a measure
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. branch — a division
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cap — a lid

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