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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 · rush · wind · patient · wax · bulb · bowl · plane

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wax — to grow
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. charge — a price
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. charge — in control
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. charge — electricity

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