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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rock — a stone
  3. can — to be able to
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. chest — of your body
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rock — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wax — to grow
  15. board — to get on
  16. plane — a tool
  17. board — a committee
  18. can — a tin
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. chest — of your body
  22. branch — a division
  23. march — music
  24. chest — a box

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