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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. court — of law
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chip — for betting
  7. branch — a division
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. wax — to grow
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. chip — to eat

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