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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
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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: staff · straw · charge · wax · bat · saw · swing · pass

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. staff — employees
  6. bat — the animal
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. saw — the tool
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. pass — a permit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bat — in an idiom

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