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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
468
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: branch · cabinet · wax · charge · temple · wind · field · mouse

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. charge — a price
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. field — farmland
  7. charge — in control
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. field — for sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. charge — electricity
  17. branch — a division
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wind — moving air
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. field — a subject
  24. wax — for sculpting

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