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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: ball · wax · bank · bear · charge · saw · pitch · mark

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitch — completely
  14. charge — a price
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mark — a trace
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. charge — in control

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