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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. charge — electricity
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. suit — to fit
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bank — of a river
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. scale — in music
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. charge — in control

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