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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
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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: spell · drill · dip · wave · chair · branch · wax · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. drill — army training
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. drill — a practice
  10. roll — a list
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. spell — magic
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. drill — the tool
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to sink
  20. spell — a short time
  21. chair — a leader
  22. spell — letters
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. roll — a cake

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