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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: branch · wave · date · cap · band · saw · key · ruler

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cap — a lid
  3. band — a ring
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. branch — a division
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cap — a hat
  10. date — the fruit
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. key — in music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cap — of ice
  16. band — a music group
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. key — the most important part
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — the tool
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — for a lock

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