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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — a break
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bound — certain
  8. wax — to grow
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — for light
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. branch — a division
  24. rest — what's left

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