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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · track · prune · wax · field · bank · calf · game

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. track — a song
  6. game — wild animals
  7. charge — a price
  8. field — for sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. field — farmland
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. track — to keep track
  20. charge — electricity
  21. track — a path
  22. field — a subject
  23. game — a match
  24. calf — a young animal

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