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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bound — tied together
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wax — to grow
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. branch — a division
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bound — certain
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ruler — for measuring

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