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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: pound · cap · charge · cabinet · calf · wax · branch · tear

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. charge — a price
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. branch — a division
  8. cap — a hat
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pound — a weight
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tear — to rip
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cap — of ice
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. tear — from crying
  22. charge — in control
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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