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

Word bank: board · branch · wave · wax · swing · pit · fall · bank

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pit — a hole
  4. branch — a division
  5. fall — the season
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bank — for money
  10. board — a committee
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. swing — to play on
  13. fall — to drop
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. swing — music
  19. board — to get on
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fall — to drop

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