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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: file · wax · calf · coach · pitcher · bass · branch · mug

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — a division
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. file — a line of people
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mug — a face
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a document
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mug — to rob
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mug — a cup
  24. coach — a trainer

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