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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: scale · trunk · race · nail · wax · sharp · branch · fan

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. race — a contest
  5. scale — in music
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. race — the arms race
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. race — humankind
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. sharp — clever

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