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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.

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: hide · pit · branch · saw · calf · wax · board · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. wax — to grow
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. board — to get on
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pit — a hole
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bat — the animal
  24. branch — a division

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