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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: rock · branch · season · wax · roll · bowl · hide · charge

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. roll — a list
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. roll — a cake
  5. season — in sport
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. branch — a division
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rock — music
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. wax — to grow
  22. season — of the year
  23. rock — a stone
  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