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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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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: last · chip · row · charge · object · firm · stick · wax

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. charge — in control
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wax — to grow
  6. last — finally
  7. firm — steady
  8. charge — a price
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. last — to go on
  11. chip — to eat
  12. object — to protest
  13. chip — for betting
  14. firm — a company
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — electricity
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. row — to paddle
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. last — final
  23. firm — decided
  24. row — a quarrel

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