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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. cap — a lid
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. branch — a division
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cap — of ice
  12. wax — to grow
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. wax — for sculpting

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