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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: saw · bass · wax · branch · mouse · land · rest · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rest — what's left
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rest — a break
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. branch — a division
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. land — to come down
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. land — a country
  15. land — ground
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bass — low music
  24. saw — the tool

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