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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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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 · racket · dip · ball · face · present · wax · chest

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chest — a box
  6. chest — of your body
  7. ball — a dance
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. chest — of your body
  11. face — to confront
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. face — to point toward
  21. present — a gift
  22. face — part of the head
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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