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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. race — humankind
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. race — the arms race
  6. branch — a division
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. stem — to come from
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. race — a contest
  15. scale — size or range
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. plane — a tool
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. arm — part of the 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