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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
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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: wax · coach · pop · hide · jam · branch · can · roll

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. roll — a cake
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pop — music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. roll — a list
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wax — to grow
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. can — a tin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pop — to visit
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. branch — a division
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. branch — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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