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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — for light
  14. march — music
  15. wax — to grow
  16. branch — a division
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bulb — for light
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. suit — to fit

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