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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. march — music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. wax — to grow
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. wound — an injury
  11. march — the month
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. fine — high quality
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fine — all right
  18. march — the month
  19. branch — a division
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. staff — employees
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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