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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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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: fan · branch · cap · swing · patient · ruler · wax · fork

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. branch — a division
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wax — to grow
  12. swing — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. swing — in golf
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. swing — to play on
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fork — in a road
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ruler — for measuring

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