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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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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 · cabinet · rule · pound · wax · rest · dip · patient

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. charge — a price
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rest — a break
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. charge — in control
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pound — a weight
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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