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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wax · degree · nail · coach · mark · charge · bark · bay

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. degree — from a university
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — a grade
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. degree — temperature
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bark — to shout
  24. mark — a trace

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