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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wax — to grow
  4. charge — a price
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fork — in a road
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. branch — a division
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. charge — in control
  19. bass — low music
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bass — the instrument

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