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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: saw · charge · branch · ground · wax · track · leaves · cabinet

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wax — to grow
  4. saw — the tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ground — crushed
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. branch — a division
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ground — the earth
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. track — a path
  14. ground — a position
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. track — a song
  17. charge — in control
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. track — to keep track
  21. charge — a price
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. cabinet — ministers

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