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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. present — a gift
  4. key — in music
  5. bound — tied together
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bound — certain
  9. present — the time now
  10. wax — to grow
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bound — obliged
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. object — a thing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. object — to protest
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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