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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: mouse · chip · wave · last · key · rest · charge · wax

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. charge — a price
  6. last — final
  7. chip — for betting
  8. rest — a break
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. key — in music
  11. charge — in control
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. key — for a lock
  17. last — to go on
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. key — the most important part
  21. last — finally
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mouse — for a computer

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