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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
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 · root · pass · branch · wax · fork · wound · hide

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — of a plant
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. branch — a division
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wound — an injury

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