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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.

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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: kick · capital · bulb · can · jam · charge · wax · saw

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. can — to be able to
  3. capital — money
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — in control
  8. wax — to grow
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — a price
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. capital — a city
  18. charge — electricity
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. can — a tin
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kick — a thrill

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