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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
468
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 · pass · cap · wax · rash · pitcher · wind · wake

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a lid
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. branch — a division
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. pass — to spend time

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