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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
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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: wax · calf · charge · spell · lash · game · press · cold

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. press — to push
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. game — a match
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. spell — magic
  11. charge — electricity
  12. press — newspapers
  13. charge — in control
  14. game — wild animals
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cold — an illness
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — a price
  20. cold — not warm
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. spell — letters

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