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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: charge · safe · drill · jam · date · patient · ball · wax

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. drill — army training
  5. date — the fruit
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. ball — a dance
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ball — a great time
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. drill — a practice
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. drill — the tool
  24. jam — in traffic

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