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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: arm · staff · racket · saw · wax · branch · rush · calf

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. saw — the tool
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. staff — employees
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. staff — a stick
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. calf — of the leg

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