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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 · safe · bank · file · branch · date · wax · press

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bank — for money
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. press — to push
  9. file — a line of people
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bank — of a river
  12. press — a publisher
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bank — for money
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. file — a document
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. file — a tool
  24. press — newspapers

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