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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cell — a phone
  5. suit — in cards
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. cell — in biology
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wax — to grow
  15. lean — to bend
  16. branch — a division
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. ball — a great time
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. suit — clothes
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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