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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. suit — in cards
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lie — to recline

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