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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wax — to grow
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. plane — a tool
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. object — a thing
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. object — to protest
  11. toast — bread
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. branch — a division
  15. capital — money
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. capital — a city
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. object — an aim

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