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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: row · safe · kick · rule · charge · hand · mark · wax

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. charge — a price
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. row — a line
  11. hand — help
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mark — a grade
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. charge — electricity
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rule — government
  21. charge — in control
  22. rule — a law
  23. kick — in football
  24. mark — a trace

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