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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. suit — clothes
  3. branch — a division
  4. suit — in cards
  5. land — ground
  6. land — a country
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. cue — a hint
  9. dip — to sink
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. land — to come down
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cue — for pool

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