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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pop — soda
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. object — a thing
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pop — to visit
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. swing — music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pop — music
  21. branch — a division
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cap — a hat
  24. swing — to play on

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