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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: bay · branch · pound · drill · band · nail · wave · charge

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. band — a music group
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. branch — a division
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. band — a ring
  12. drill — army training
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. charge — in control
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. charge — electricity
  17. drill — the tool
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — a price
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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