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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
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: spell · arm · key · tube · branch · game · saw · wax

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. game — a match
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. saw — the tool
  7. key — the most important part
  8. spell — magic
  9. key — in music
  10. spell — a short time
  11. saw — the tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wax — to grow
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. branch — a division
  19. spell — letters
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. tube — a container
  23. game — wild animals
  24. tube — in a tire

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