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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · sharp · arm · branch · fine · plane · wax · wave

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wax — to grow
  5. sharp — clever
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. branch — a division
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fine — all right
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. plane — a tool
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fine — high quality
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. arm — part of the body

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