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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: toast · craft · roll · season · foot · fall · wax · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. toast — bread
  3. season — of the year
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. craft — boats
  6. fall — the season
  7. roll — a list
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. roll — a cake
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. season — in sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. charge — in control
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. charge — electricity
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. foot — the bottom

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