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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 · coach · club · branch · can · cap · race · bay

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. can — a tin
  3. club — for dancing
  4. race — humankind
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. can — to be able to
  8. race — a contest
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cap — a lid
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wax — to grow
  17. can — a tin
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cap — a hat
  23. branch — a division
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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