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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.

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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: can · bark · suit · club · saw · wax · charge · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. saw — the tool
  3. suit — to fit
  4. club — for golf
  5. kick — in football
  6. wax — to grow
  7. suit — clothes
  8. can — a tin
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. club — for dancing
  12. charge — a price
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. charge — in control
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. club — a group
  18. can — to be able to
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bark — to shout
  23. can — a tin
  24. kick — a thrill

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