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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.

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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: mine · branch · drill · scale · object · swing · wax · craft

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. scale — in music
  3. object — to protest
  4. drill — army training
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. object — an aim
  7. scale — size or range
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wax — to grow
  10. craft — a skill
  11. object — a thing
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. swing — in golf
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. branch — a division
  17. mine — for digging
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. drill — a practice
  21. craft — boats
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. branch — of a bank

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