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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 120 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: bulb · bark · wax · wound · wave · charge · chip · branch

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bark — to shout
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. charge — in control
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. charge — a price
  24. wound — an injury

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