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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. file — a document
  3. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. file — a line of people
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bass — the fish
  9. object — to protest
  10. bass — low music
  11. file — a tool
  12. object — a thing
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. branch — a division
  19. object — an aim
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wax — to grow
  24. chest — of your body

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