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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 120 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: branch · trunk · saw · ruler · wax · face · charge · pound

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. saw — the tool
  9. face — to point toward
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. saw — the tool
  13. face — to confront
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wax — to grow
  18. charge — a price
  19. branch — a division
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. face — part of the head
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ruler — a monarch

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