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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · wound · charge · wax · prune · bass · lean · fine

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. lean — thin
  4. spell — letters
  5. charge — a price
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. wax — to grow
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lean — to bend
  18. spell — magic
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. wound — an injury

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