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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · root · saw · wax · file · charge · content · chest

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. chest — a box
  5. wax — to grow
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mug — to rob
  8. charge — in control
  9. chest — of your body
  10. root — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. charge — a price
  14. content — happy
  15. file — a document
  16. root — the cause
  17. mug — a cup
  18. file — a tool
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. charge — electricity
  21. content — the amount
  22. chest — of your body
  23. root — of a word
  24. file — a line of people

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