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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: tube · wake · pit · wax · pound · charge · race · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. race — a contest
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pound — a weight
  11. tube — the underground
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. race — humankind
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. race — the arms race
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. tube — a container
  21. pit — a hole
  22. key — the most important part
  23. charge — a price
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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