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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wax — to grow
  3. bass — low music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. branch — a division
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bulb — for light
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fine — all right
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bulb — for light
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bass — the fish
  24. key — in music

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