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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · wave · straw · charge · jam · pitcher · fall · wax

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fall — the season
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pass — a permit
  23. charge — in control
  24. fall — to drop

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