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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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mug — a face
  4. bulb — for light
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mug — to rob
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wax — to grow
  12. swing — to play on
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. branch — a division
  15. swing — music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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