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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: jam · bat · charge · rash · wax · nail · plane · leaves

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. charge — electricity
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wax — to grow
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rash — hasty
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rash — a series
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. charge — in control
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. charge — a price
  24. wax — in the ear

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