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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bank — for money
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. branch — a division
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. land — to come down
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bank — of a river
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. land — ground
  15. bank — for money
  16. wax — to grow
  17. scale — size or range
  18. row — to paddle
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. land — a country
  24. wax — for sculpting

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