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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: bank · wax · racket · branch · dip · tube · ground · bowl

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. tube — the underground
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. tube — a container
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wax — to grow
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. ground — the earth
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. ground — a position
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ground — crushed
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. wax — in the ear

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