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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: wax · prune · arm · rule · row · pass · branch · mouse

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. prune — to trim
  4. branch — a division
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. row — a line
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. row — to paddle
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. prune — to trim
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pass — a permit
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rule — government

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