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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.

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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 · pass · wax · bowl · branch · calf · bat · lean

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bat — the animal
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. branch — a division
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. lean — to bend
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. lean — thin
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fan — a supporter

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