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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 · fan · leaves · face · bank · hide · wax · branch

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bank — for money
  4. wax — to grow
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. charge — in control
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bank — of a river
  12. face — to confront
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. charge — electricity
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bank — for money
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. charge — a price

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