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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: mouse · bowl · snap · hand · wax · branch · stick · calf

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. snap — to click
  3. branch — a division
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. hand — help
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. hand — part of the body

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