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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. game — wild animals
  7. branch — a division
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. deal — to handle
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — the month
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bulb — for light
  24. march — music

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