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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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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. vault — a safe
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — in control
  9. current — happening now
  10. wax — to grow
  11. firm — decided
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. charge — electricity
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. branch — a division
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. firm — steady
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. firm — a company
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lean — thin

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