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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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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: fine · wax · mate · stand · branch · nail · rest · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mate — a friend
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. fine — all right
  23. branch — a division
  24. arm — a part of something

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