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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. object — an aim
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. capital — a city
  5. object — to protest
  6. capital — money
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wax — to grow
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. object — a thing
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wound — an injury
  24. capital — a big letter

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