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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bore · fan · board · bat · charge · cell · arm · wax

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. charge — in control
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. wax — to grow
  5. charge — electricity
  6. board — to get on
  7. bore — to tire
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bat — the animal
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. charge — a price
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. board — a committee

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