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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.

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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: saw · lean · charge · bear · cell · wax · bowl · band

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. band — a music group
  3. bear — the animal
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. band — a ring
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wax — to grow

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