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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: rule · wax · stick · branch · rock · plane · perch · rest

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. branch — a division
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rock — music
  18. wax — to grow
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — government
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rest — a break

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