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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: court · key · wax · stand · hide · mark · cell · bank

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. court — of a king
  9. cell — in biology
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. key — the most important part
  12. court — for sport
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. key — in music
  15. cell — a phone
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mark — a trace
  19. court — of law
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bank — of a river
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — to pay attention

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