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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.

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: wax · ball · branch · land · charge · bay · pound · degree

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. charge — in control
  3. land — to come down
  4. ball — a great time
  5. land — a country
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. charge — a price
  9. pound — a weight
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. branch — a division
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wax — to grow
  23. ball — a dance
  24. degree — temperature

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