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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 116 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: row · club · wax · mine · charge · pitch · fork · leaves

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pitch — completely
  5. charge — in control
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — a group
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. row — a line
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. wax — for sculpting

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