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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · racket · ground · branch · hide · wax · bay · prune

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ground — a position
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ground — the earth
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wax — to grow
  14. ground — crushed
  15. branch — a division
  16. fine — all right
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fine — high quality
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. prune — to trim
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. hide — to keep secret

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