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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. wax — to grow
  3. drill — the tool
  4. swing — in golf
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fall — to drop
  7. swing — music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. stand — to bear
  10. charge — in control
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a dance
  13. drill — army training
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fall — the season
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. drill — a practice
  23. ball — a great time
  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