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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: key · wound · charge · bark · ball · wax · staff · chest

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bark — to shout
  3. key — in music
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chest — of your body
  8. staff — employees
  9. charge — in control
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wax — to grow
  12. charge — a price
  13. key — the most important part
  14. chest — of your body
  15. key — for a lock
  16. chest — a box
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. ball — a dance
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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