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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: object · mouse · patient · degree · trunk · wax · cabinet · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. object — a thing
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. object — an aim
  8. bank — for money
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wax — to grow
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. degree — from a university
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. degree — temperature
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. object — to protest
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bank — for money
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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