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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: season · wake · charge · bay · chair · wax · saw · bulb

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. charge — a price
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. charge — in control
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wake — a trail
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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