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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 124 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — in cards
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mug — a face
  7. branch — a division
  8. march — music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. mug — a cup
  15. suit — clothes
  16. march — the month
  17. suit — to fit
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wax — to grow
  22. rush — hurry
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — 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