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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: stick · bank · pitcher · nail · fall · wax · branch · cabinet

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fall — the season
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. branch — a division
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bank — for money
  16. fall — to drop
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bank — of a river
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wax — for sculpting

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