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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
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: charge · arm · mouse · wake · last · fall · wax · bulb

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. fall — to drop
  8. charge — a price
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. last — final
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wake — a trail
  18. last — to go on
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. charge — electricity
  23. last — finally
  24. bulb — for light

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