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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pop — music
  4. degree — from a university
  5. pit — in a race
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pop — to visit
  13. branch — a division
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pop — soda
  20. pit — a hole
  21. degree — an amount
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wax — in the ear

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