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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: object · present · lash · capital · wax · charge · ball · fork

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. object — an aim
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. charge — in control
  6. present — a gift
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. object — to protest
  12. capital — money
  13. charge — a price
  14. present — the time now
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. capital — a city
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wax — to grow
  23. object — a thing
  24. present — there

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