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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: chip · wax · roll · dip · mate · rock · wave · charge

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rock — music
  3. roll — a list
  4. charge — in control
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rock — a stone
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. charge — a price
  17. mate — a friend
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wax — to grow
  21. chip — for betting
  22. roll — a cake
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. chip — to eat

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