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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. club — for golf
  18. saw — the tool
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. saw — the tool

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