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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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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 · arm · coach · scale · last · deal · stand · charge

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. charge — in control
  4. scale — in music
  5. deal — to handle
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — electricity
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. last — to go on
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. last — finally
  21. stand — to bear
  22. charge — a price
  23. wax — to grow
  24. last — final

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