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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. staff — employees
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bear — the animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. staff — employees
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bore — to drill

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