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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — a price
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. kick — in football
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. file — a document
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. file — a tool
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. kick — a thrill

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