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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fine — high quality
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bank — for money
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wax — to grow
  13. branch — a division
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bank — of a river
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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