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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wound — an injury
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mug — a face
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mug — to rob
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. craft — a skill
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. craft — boats
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. saw — the tool

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