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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wax — to grow
  4. charge — electricity
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. prune — to trim
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. charge — a price
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. branch — a division
  14. pass — a permit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cell — in biology
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — in control
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pass — to spend time

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