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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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. kid — to tease
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. kid — child
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. lean — thin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. firm — a company
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. scale — in music
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. scale — size or range
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. branch — of a bank

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