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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bear · chair · perch · club · charge · mark · ball

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wax — to grow
  5. charge — a price
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. charge — in control
  8. club — a group
  9. bear — the animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — a trace
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ball — a dance
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. club — for golf
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. chair — a leader
  24. mark — a grade

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