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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.

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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: branch · bat · cap · suit · fine · wave · arm · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. file — a line of people
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. file — a tool
  4. cap — a hat
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cap — a lid
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bat — the animal
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. file — a document
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fine — all right
  18. branch — a division
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. suit — to fit
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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