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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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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: rock · charge · present · chest · racket · wax · lash · bay

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chest — of your body
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. present — there
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. present — a gift
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. present — the time now
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chest — of your body
  22. charge — in control
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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