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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: charge · court · calf · spell · saw · lash · wax · toast

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. court — of a king
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spell — letters
  5. court — of law
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spell — a short time
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. spell — magic
  10. court — for sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wax — to grow
  19. toast — bread
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. wax — for sculpting

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