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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wax — to grow
  7. staff — employees
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. staff — employees
  10. bass — low music
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bass — the fish
  16. game — a match
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank

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