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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.

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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: fork · charge · cabinet · swing · bulb · wax · object · cold

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wax — to grow
  3. charge — in control
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cold — not warm
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. swing — to play on
  10. object — to protest
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cold — an illness
  16. swing — music
  17. bulb — for light
  18. object — a thing
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. swing — in golf
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. object — an aim

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