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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
468
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: bat · charge · bass · current · ball · patient · ruler · wax

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bass — low music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. current — happening now
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ball — a great time
  14. charge — in control
  15. wax — to grow
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. current — electric
  23. charge — a price
  24. current — of water

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