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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · wax · trunk · perch · bay · branch · leaves · ball

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. perch — the fish
  5. suit — clothes
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. branch — a division
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. suit — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. branch — of a bank
  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