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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: present · stick · court · spell · branch · wax · dip · bat

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. spell — a short time
  5. court — of law
  6. spell — magic
  7. present — there
  8. dip — to sink
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. wax — to grow
  12. present — the time now
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. court — of a king
  17. spell — letters
  18. present — a gift
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bat — the animal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. court — for sport

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