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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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468
Word bank
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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. charge — a price
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. key — in music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. branch — a division
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. key — the most important part

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