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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: stick · content · wax · lash · rule · swing · track · mug

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. content — the amount
  4. track — a path
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. rule — government
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mug — a face
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rule — a law
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mug — to rob
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. swing — in golf
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. swing — music
  22. mug — a cup
  23. content — happy
  24. track — a song

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