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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 · staff · bay · wax · spring · bound · scale · trunk

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wax — to grow
  3. scale — in music
  4. staff — employees
  5. charge — electricity
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. spring — of water
  9. bound — certain
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. staff — employees
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. staff — a stick
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. spring — the season
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. spring — a coil
  22. charge — in control
  23. bound — tied together
  24. charge — a price

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