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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mate — a friend
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. cue — a hint
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. charge — a price
  11. cue — for pool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. spell — a short time
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. spell — magic
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — a signal
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. spell — letters
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wax — to grow
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mate — to breed
  24. trunk — of a car

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