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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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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: plane · chip · stand · wax · branch · net · racket · rest

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wax — to grow
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. rest — a break
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. net — for catching
  21. branch — a division
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rest — what's left

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