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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: bat · lash · charge · wax · suit · safe · present · game

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. present — the time now
  5. charge — electricity
  6. present — a gift
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — in control
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wax — to grow
  16. present — there
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — clothes
  21. charge — a price
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bat — the animal
  24. game — a match

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