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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 120 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: chair · suit · straw · wax · pop · branch · safe · face

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. face — to confront
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wax — to grow
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pop — to visit
  15. branch — a division
  16. pop — music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. chair — a leader
  21. suit — clothes
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pop — soda

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