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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 · branch · craft · date · net · mug · arm · cue

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  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. net — in sport
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cue — for pool
  5. date — the fruit
  6. net — after costs
  7. mug — to rob
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. craft — boats
  11. cue — a signal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mug — a face
  14. branch — a division
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. craft — a skill
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mug — a cup
  19. net — for catching
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wax — to grow
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. branch — of a tree
  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