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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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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 · mug · cell · vault · band · branch · pitch · leaves

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. mug — a cup
  4. band — a music group
  5. mug — to rob
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. vault — a safe
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. cell — a phone
  12. wax — to grow
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. pitch — completely
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cell — in biology
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. branch — a division
  23. mug — a face
  24. band — a ring

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