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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 116 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: patient · wax · fan · club · vault · mine · racket · charge

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. club — a group
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. vault — a safe
  14. charge — a price
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. club — for golf
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mine — for digging
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. club — for dancing
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — to grow

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