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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: rush · charge · hide · wax · tube · leaves · fan · hand

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. charge — a price
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hand — help
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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