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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: land · charge · branch · coach · kick · fork · date · wax

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. kick — in football
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. land — to come down
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. land — a country
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. branch — a division
  14. land — ground
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. charge — in control
  17. wax — to grow
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. charge — a price
  22. date — the fruit
  23. fork — in a road
  24. kick — a thrill

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