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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: roll · branch · wave · wax · fine · stand · press · arm

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. fine — all right
  8. stand — to bear
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. roll — a cake
  20. press — newspapers
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fine — high quality
  23. roll — a list
  24. wax — to grow

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