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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ground — crushed
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ground — the earth
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. snap — to click
  12. branch — a division
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wax — to grow
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. ground — a position
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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