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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. land — a country
  6. saw — the tool
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. saw — the tool
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mug — a face
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. charge — a price
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. land — ground
  20. charge — electricity
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. land — to come down
  24. club — for dancing

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