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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: wax · hand · pitch · mouse · lash · charge · bay · fork

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pitch — completely
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. charge — electricity
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. charge — in control
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hand — help
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. hand — in cards
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wax — to grow
  21. charge — a price
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. mouse — the animal
  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