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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. branch — a division
  5. wax — to grow
  6. face — to point toward
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rock — music
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cell — in biology
  16. face — to confront
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rock — to move gently

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