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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: bore · face · net · wax · branch · safe · wave · kid

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. face — to confront
  7. branch — a division
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bore — to tire
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bore — to drill
  14. net — for catching
  15. wax — to grow
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — to tease
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. face — part of the head
  21. net — after costs
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. net — in sport
  24. wave — with your hand

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