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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.

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: wax · object · rash · rest · fall · squash · court · charge

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rest — a break
  5. squash — to crush
  6. object — an aim
  7. fall — to drop
  8. object — a thing
  9. rash — a series
  10. squash — the sport
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. court — of a king
  14. object — to protest
  15. fall — to drop
  16. charge — a price
  17. court — for sport
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. court — of law
  24. fall — the season

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