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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: safe · wave · wax · charge · arm · rule · object · row

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. charge — a price
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. object — an aim
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. row — a line
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. charge — in control
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. row — to paddle
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rule — government
  19. wax — to grow
  20. object — to protest
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. charge — electricity
  24. object — a thing

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