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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hand — in cards
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wax — to grow
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mate — to breed
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mate — a friend
  16. hand — help
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bound — obliged
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bound — certain

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