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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: bank · fork · clip · tube · craft · mark · trunk · wax

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  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. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. tube — a container
  4. clip — a video
  5. craft — a skill
  6. clip — to cut
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bank — of a river
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fork — in a road
  12. tube — the underground
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. clip — for paper
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mark — a trace
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. wax — in the ear
  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