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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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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rule — a law
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. branch — a division
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rash — a series
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rash — hasty
  24. trunk — of a car

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