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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: staff · wave · chair · swing · current · mine · wax · charge

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. charge — in control
  3. swing — in golf
  4. staff — employees
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. swing — music
  9. staff — employees
  10. current — of water
  11. wax — to grow
  12. chair — a leader
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. staff — a stick
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mine — for digging
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. current — happening now
  21. charge — a price
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. current — electric
  24. mine — an explosive

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