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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: arm · cap · nail · wax · prune · charge · bank · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. cap — a lid
  5. charge — electricity
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cap — of ice
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bank — for money
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. prune — to trim
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bank — of a river
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mug — a face
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mug — to rob
  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