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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bulb · present · charge · content · wax · ball · kid · row

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ball — a great time
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. present — there
  6. kid — child
  7. ball — a dance
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. charge — a price
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. content — the amount
  21. kid — to tease
  22. row — a line
  23. bulb — for light
  24. content — happy

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