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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 116 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: calf · bark · prune · mouse · wax · ground · charge · bank

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bank — for money
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. bark — to shout
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ground — the earth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bank — of a river
  20. ground — a position
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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