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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 116 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: court · leaves · bay · charge · wax · ruler · lash · chip

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. charge — a price
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. court — of law
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. court — of a king
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — in control
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. court — for sport
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. chip — in a computer

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