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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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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: wax · charge · fall · racket · shower · bear · wave · last

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. last — to go on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. last — final
  5. fall — the season
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — electricity
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. charge — a price
  20. wax — to grow
  21. last — finally
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. shower — rain

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