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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: pound · row · mark · club · spell · wax · charge · branch

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mark — a grade
  4. club — for golf
  5. spell — magic
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. branch — a division
  12. spell — letters
  13. charge — in control
  14. spell — a short time
  15. club — a group
  16. pound — a weight
  17. charge — a price
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. row — a line
  22. club — for dancing
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wax — to grow

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