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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. march — music
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. march — the month
  8. bulb — for light
  9. land — to come down
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. march — the month
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. land — a country
  16. wax — to grow
  17. object — a thing
  18. bulb — for light
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. land — ground
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. object — an aim

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