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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: lash · charge · calf · wax · lean · rush · capital · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. lean — thin
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. capital — money
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rush — hurry
  18. capital — a city
  19. lean — to bend
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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