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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: charge · nail · wax · firm · branch · key · degree · safe

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. charge — a price
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. firm — a company
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. degree — temperature
  9. key — for a lock
  10. charge — electricity
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — in control
  14. firm — steady
  15. degree — from a university
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. key — in music
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wax — to grow
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. degree — an amount

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