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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: fan · charge · calf · wave · branch · wound · board · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. charge — electricity
  9. board — a committee
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. charge — a price
  13. pop — soda
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. branch — a division
  18. wound — an injury
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. charge — in control
  24. fan — to cool the air

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