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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: charge · fall · safe · deal · hand · wax · rash · degree

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. fall — to drop
  3. degree — temperature
  4. rash — hasty
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. degree — an amount
  11. wax — to grow
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rash — a series
  15. charge — a price
  16. fall — the season
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. degree — from a university
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. hand — in cards
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. hand — part of the body

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