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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wax — to grow
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bound — certain
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bound — obliged
  8. branch — a division
  9. plane — a tool
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bank — for money
  12. foot — a measure
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. mark — a grade
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bank — for money
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mark — a trace
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bank — of a river

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