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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mark · racket · nail · wax · dip · branch · bat · root

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bat — the animal
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mark — a trace
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. dip — to sink
  17. root — of a word
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. root — the cause
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. racket — a loud noise

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