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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pound — a weight
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. content — happy
  13. content — the amount
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. wake — a trail
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wax — to grow

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