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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: bay · suit · charge · land · wax · fine · chest · fan

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fine — all right
  3. wax — to grow
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. suit — clothes
  8. land — a country
  9. chest — a box
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. charge — a price
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. land — to come down
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. land — ground
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — a horse colour

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