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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
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: fan · wax · march · safe · nail · pit · branch · row

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — a division
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — music
  12. pit — a hole
  13. march — the month
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. march — the month
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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