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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
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: spell · foot · fork · court · charge · stand · wound · wax

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. charge — in control
  3. court — of a king
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. spell — magic
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stand — to bear
  16. spell — letters
  17. wound — an injury
  18. charge — electricity
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. spell — a short time
  22. charge — a price
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stand — for spectators

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