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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.

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: bay · sharp · saw · kid · wax · cabinet · branch · bear

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. branch — a division
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bear — the animal
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wax — to grow
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — to tease
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cabinet — ministers

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