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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 120 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: wave · rock · bay · wax · wind · prune · charge · bat

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. charge — in control
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bat — the animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rock — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. prune — to trim

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