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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: wave · bat · charge · fan · toast · wax · patient · present

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. present — there
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. charge — in control
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. toast — bread
  24. wave — with your hand

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