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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. wound — an injury
  5. charge — in control
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. charge — a price
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wax — to grow
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. branch — a division
  13. wound — an injury
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. key — in music
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. key — the most important part
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. charge — electricity
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. branch — of a tree

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