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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 116 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. suit — in cards
  8. object — to protest
  9. suit — clothes
  10. scale — in music
  11. wax — to grow
  12. scale — size or range
  13. object — an aim
  14. track — a song
  15. swing — music
  16. branch — a division
  17. swing — to play on
  18. object — a thing
  19. swing — in golf
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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