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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bass — the fish
  4. branch — a division
  5. current — electric
  6. bass — low music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. capital — a city
  12. current — of water
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. capital — money
  15. current — happening now
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. kick — in football
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bass — the instrument

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