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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · calf · tube · fine · staff · kid · charge · wax

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. charge — in control
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fine — all right
  6. kid — to tease
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. staff — employees
  10. wax — to grow
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. charge — a price
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. staff — a stick
  15. charge — electricity
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. kid — child
  21. tube — a container
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. staff — employees
  24. tube — the underground

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