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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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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. snap — to click
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. degree — temperature
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — steady
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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