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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
468
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 · season · stick · pound · charge · wax · pass · branch

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. charge — in control
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pass — a permit
  24. branch — of a bank

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