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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wax — to grow
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. cell — a phone
  12. root — of a word
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cell — in biology
  18. rash — a series
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rash — hasty
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. root — the cause
  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