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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: bay · perch · pit · present · charge · bulb · wax · spell

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. wax — to grow
  3. spell — magic
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — the fish
  11. spell — letters
  12. pit — a hole
  13. charge — in control
  14. present — a gift
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. spell — a short time
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. present — there
  21. charge — a price
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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