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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bank — for money
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bank — for money
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. ground — a position
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wax — to grow
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. branch — a division
  24. deal — an agreement

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