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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
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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: charge · wax · lie · ball · stand · mate · rush · bear

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. charge — electricity
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. charge — a price
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. charge — in control
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stand — for spectators

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