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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.

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: wax · stand · object · wound · charge · plane · lean · racket

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. object — an aim
  3. stand — to bear
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. object — to protest
  11. charge — in control
  12. wound — an injury
  13. object — a thing
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. charge — a price
  17. lean — thin
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wound — an injury
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wax — for sculpting

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