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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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — all right
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. charge — a price
  10. bass — the fish
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. club — for golf
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. charge — in control
  16. fine — high quality
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. club — a group
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. charge — electricity
  24. branch — a division

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