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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 124 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wind — moving air
  11. content — the amount
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fine — all right
  17. content — happy
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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