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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. press — to push
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. branch — a division
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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