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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. tube — a container
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. kick — in football
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. charge — in control
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bank — for money
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bank — of a river
  24. kick — a thrill

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